Although the foundations of the commercial vehicle sector are strong, this week’s production figures for March illustrate just how hard manufacturers have been hit by the pandemic and factory shutdowns. While many businesses have stayed open to ensure continued production of parts so that essential vehicles can stay on the roads, we now need to get all production lines rolling and delivering for the economy again.
This week also saw us publish the results of a sector-wide survey into how COVID-19 has impacted businesses. More than half (57.7%) of the CV sector workforce is on furlough thanks to the CJRS, with the rest still working to provide parts and essential vehicles for key workers. Nevertheless, 42.1% of commercial vehicle businesses believe recovery from coronavirus will take at least 12 months.
What the sector needs now is a safe and successful restart, one which will require a clear plan and close coordination and cooperation between government and industry to safeguard jobs and restore operator confidence so that they can continue to invest in the latest technology for their fleets.
