Spanish automotive output plunges in June

Spanish carmaking production dipped in June, Kallanish notes. National automotive association Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes de Automóviles y Camiones (Anfac) says production and exports were down both on pre-Covid-19 and 2020 levels. In June 2020 local manufacturers were still resuming their halted plants after the Covid-19 lockdown.

Output in June thus fell 33.8% versus the same month in 2019 and 18.1% year-on-year to 172,696 units. Poor sales in main markets, together with the microchip supply crisis, continued to undermine Spanish manufacturers’ activity, Anfac observes.

To adapt output to the availability of components, Spanish manufacturers implemented some stoppages at their lines, with delays remaining across all production chains. The shortage of microchips is likely to persist at least until the first half of 2022, Anfac estimates.

During the first six months of this year, Spain’s output amounted to 1,205,577 vehicles, down 21.6% on January-June 2019 but 26.1% more over the first half of 2020.

Meanwhile, Spanish vehicle exports were 151,366 units in June, a decrease of 27.7% compared to the same month in 2019 and down 14.9% y-o-y.

European markets, which represented 80% of Spanish deliveries in June, reduced their purchases by 29.5%. Of Spain’s main five export destinations, only Turkey increased intake during the month, by 55% versus June 2019.

Six-month exports fell by 16.1% over January-June 2019 to 1,035,609 vehicles. However, these were 30.6% more over H1 2020, Anfac data show.

Todor Kirkov Bulgaria