Positive December completes buoyant year for van and truck market
Van and truck registrations increased by 17.8% in 2011 to 303,097 units, as registrations in December grew 13.7% to 23,026. Truck registrations were up 24.6% for the full year to 42,944 and by 45.3% in the month to 4,611. Van registrations increased by 16.7% to 260,153 in 2011 and rose 2.8% in December to 18,415.
“The van and truck market has enjoyed a consistent trend of growth throughout 2011, albeit from a very low base,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive. “Renewed business confidence fuelled the month-on-month rises, while innovative developments in vehicle design and technologies provided solid business reasons for companies to upgrade their vehicles in 2011.”
SMMT hosts Business Growth Fund seminar
On 25 January from 10:00-14:00, SMMT will host a Business Growth Fund seminar, examining the role of the recently established ‘Business Task Force’, in returning sustainable growth to the UK economy. Established last year, the Task Force comprises representatives from financial institutions including Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds and is charged with reviewing measures that can help businesses gain the maximum level of financial support from the UK banking industry through improved financial understanding and access. The seminar will give an overview of progress and how the Task Force is working to help UK companies grow their businesses.
The fund, looking to invest an equity stake of between £1m – £10m with companies turning over between £10m – £100m annually, is keen to engage with companies in the automotive sector and learn how they can directly support a number of companies. Keynote speakers include Andrew Rumfitt, Smith Institute, and Stephen Welton, Chief Executive, Business Growth Fund. To attend, click here to register.
Retaining and Developing Skills webinar
On Thursday 26 January at 10:30, SMMT will host a free webinar on developing and retaining skills in the automotive industry. The session will focus on two initiatives that will engage the automotive industry, focusing on small and medium-sized businesses operating in the automotive supply chain. Philip Goodwin, Supply Chain Skills Manager at Skills for Logistics, will discuss the recently announced £4m government SfL grant.
Chris Jarman, Director at Talent Retention Solution, will provide insight on the newly launched TRS scheme, designed to retain skills within manufacturing. The 30-minute session will be chaired by SMMT Chief Executive Paul Everitt and will be followed by Q&A with participants. More details and registration here.
Thermally insulated transport
SMMT and its members are contributing to the work of a newly created Project Committee on the topic of thermally insulated transport. European standardisation body CEN has created the Committee to work on the development of a new five-part standard on testing methodologies and requirements for thermally insulated means of transport for temperature sensitive goods.
Among the five parts will be those specifically for tankers and swap tankers, truck and trailer bodies including swap bodies, and integrated insulation for vans. For more information about the Project Committee and how SMMT will contribute, contact amckenzie@smmt.co.uk
2012 key dates
February
Logistics Link South: 21-22 February
March
Summer games freight planning conference: 22 March
FoodEx: 25-27 March
April
Easter: 6-9 April
RAI Show: 17-21 April
FPS: 18-19 April
CV Show: 24-26 April
May
Multimodal: 1-3 May
Truckfest: 6-7 May
May Day bank holiday: 7 May
MAN Everywoman Awards: 17 May
Tip-ex: 25-27 May
June
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: 4-5 June
Motor Transport Awards: 13 June
Logistics Link Live: 13-14 June
Hillhead: 19-21 June
Truckfest South West: 30 June-1 July
British Truck Grand Prix: 30 June-1 July
July
UKWA Awards: 4 July
Olympics: 27 July-12 August
August
Truckfest Scotland: 4-5 August
Truckfest Ireland: 18-19 August
Summer bank holiday: 27 August
Paralympics: 29 August-9 September
September
Saltex: 4-6 September
Low Carbon Vehicle Show: 5-6 September
Truckfest Newark: 8-9 September
RWM: 11-13 September
Retro Truck Show: 15-16 September
IAA Hannover Show: 18-19 September
October
Commercial Motor Live: 3-4 October
November
Eurobus Expo: 6-8 November
Transport News Scottish Rewards: 9 November
The Christmas Quiz
We hope the Christmas Quiz kept you busy over the festive break. Here are the answers.
Transport
1: Forbes House, 1959; 2: 5 pence per litre was the expected rise and he cut it by 1ppl; 3: 10 years; 4: 3%; 5: 1 January 2002; 6: 3 million; 7: 100 years; 8: Seven; five months; 9: In the year to November 2011, truck registrations were up 24.4% to 41,507; 10: Euro-3 required limits of NOx 5.0 g/kWh and PM 0.1 g/kWh (both 10 times greater than Euro-6).
World
1: Egypt; 2: Utoeya; 3: $100; 4: John McCain; 5: $11.8m (£7.6m), a record for a pearl.
Entertainment
1: Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 2, The King’s Speech, The Inbetweeners Movie; 2: Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller; 3: Directors Cut and 50 Words For Snow; 4: Sherlock Holmes, The House of Silk, and Anthony Horrowitz; 5: Edwina Currie.
Sport
1: 27 cars; 6 visits to the pits; 2: 5 – Cap Frehel, Chateauroux, Lavaur, Montpellier, and Paris (Champs Elysees); 3: Greg Hancock at the Croatian GP; 4: Israel Dagg in the 11th minute; 5: Robbie Keane and David Bentley.
Christmas music
1: 3; 2: Nicole Kidman; 3: Iron Maiden, Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter; 4: C – Elvis Presley; 5: Thanksgiving.
And finally…
The M25: Chris Rea dubbed it ‘the road to hell’, while for hauliers it can be the bane of their working lives. But for some, the 117-mile stretch of motorway is paradise. Sussex-based coach operator Brighton & Hove is offering a trip round the M25 in March designed to appeal to “lovers of modern coach travel”. The trip takes such sights as the Dartford Crossing, Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and Lakeside Shopping Centre, according to The Telegraph. Sounds too much like a busman’s holiday to us.
