SMMT: Automotive industry on Brexit “red alert”
UK automotive companies are reducing production and backing off investment as a way of bracing themselves for a no-deal Brexit, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
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Hard Brexit will affect UK driving licences in EU
If the UK plans to leave the European Union without a deal covering driving licences, UK licence holders living in the EU or EEA will have to exchange their UK driving licence for a local EU driving licence before 29 March 2019. If they don’t, after that point they may have to pass a driving test in the EU country they live in in order to be able to carry on driving there.
CEMA: Brexit will impact UK type approval
CEMA, the European agricultural equipment association, is advising that Brexit will impact UK-originated type approval. According to the association, once the UK has left the EU it will not be possible to place “vehicles and components with an EU type-approval issued by an UK authority” on the market.
Mycarcheck.com January 2019 market guide tackles Brexit ‘uncertainty’
Mycarcheck.com’s valuation experts have revealed significant trends in the UK used vehicle market, choosing a car and bike of the month.
2018 ‘a turbulent year’ says NMDA
“2018 was a turbulent year for the motorcycle market, driven by political and economic uncertainty over Brexit. However, overall sale volumes were broadly in line with the previous year showing that consumers are still choosing to purchase new bikes,” said Stephen Latham, head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) which represents motorcycle retailers across the UK.
2018 IAAF conference warns aftermarket of ‘profound transformation’
The IAAF Annual Conference, sponsored by Impression Communications, addressed some of the ongoing issues that loom large and threaten to impact the aftermarket in 2019 and beyond, including the future UK-EU relationship, the danger of counterfeit goods, fast evolving technology and vital legislation to access in-vehicle data, as it hosted one of the largest conferences to date.
2018 has been ‘Up in the air’
When it comes to reviewing 2018, two words sum up the kinds of talking points virtually everyone has touched on this year: tariffs and Brexit. Indeed it has to be said that 2018’s two meta-themes are not entirely separate from one another. Nevertheless, both have this in common. For most of the last twelve months details of both subjects have been “up in the air”, leaving the rest of us to forecast (which often means speculate) exactly what is going on. See page 32 for further analysis of what has been going on this year as well as coverage of a couple of stories that are emblematic of these themes.
Automotive businesses fear Brexit future
Three quarters of UK automotive businesses fear a ‘no-deal’ Brexit will threaten their future viability, according to a new member survey announced by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Dmack to take ‘full control’ of tyre production in Marangoni Rovereto deal
Global motorsport tyre brand Dmack has announced that it will “open its own tyre manufacturing facility” in Italy, following a deal to use part of Marangoni’s Rovereto plant in northern Italy. The Carlisle-based brand said it would be “capable of producing up to 250,000 tyres per year” at Rovereto, with the “flexibility to tailor short production runs for very specific applications and to meet demands for control tyre championships.” The company adds that it wants to transfer its technical capability into racing by producing world-class products for the circuit racing and track markets. Most famous for supplying tyres to the FIA World Rally Championship since 2011, Dmack tyres were previously produced by Chinese manufacturer, Shandong Yongtai, which recently went into administration, before shifting to Cooper Tires’ UK factory in Melksham, which itself is set to reduce production by a half when it halts production of road-going light vehicle tyres next year.
DfT ‘intends’ to retain EU tyre labelling regulation post-Brexit
The Tyre Industry Federation (TIF) has announced that it understands the Department for Transport (DfT) intends to retain alignment with future evolutions of the EU tyre labelling regulations in the UK, at least as far as the label itself is concerned. The rationale is to ensure a smoothly working market for tyres, the TIF adds.
Dundee closure ‘supports Michelin’s intent to accelerate cost savings’ – analyst report
An analyst report published by Jefferies International Limited has stated that the closure of Michelin’s Dundee plant “supports [the company’s] intent to accelerate cost savings during 2019-20.” Presenting its nine-month 2018 results in October, Michelin warned that demand had deflated in the car and truck markets and it was revising down its guidance; subsequently Michelin shares fell to a seven-year low.
Michelin closing Dundee tyre factory
Two months after the tyre manufacturer began a restructuring programme at its factory in Dundee, Michelin is set to close the plant at the cost of about 850 jobs. Michelin, which has run the Dundee site since 1971, says it plans to leave the city by 2020.
SMMT reveals Brexit contingency package
Bracing itself for a no-deal Brexit, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) launched a new Brexit Readiness Programme to help the industry, especially small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs in the automotive supply chain, prepare for the UK leaving the EU on 10 October.
Warning for UK drivers in the EU post-Brexit
Licence Bureau, which carries out driving licence checks, has warned UK drivers that their driving licences may not be valid in the European Union (EU) in the event of the nation exiting with no withdrawal agreement in place.
NFDA responds to government ‘no-deal Brexit’ notices
The UK government has published 25 technical notices setting out what it is doing to prepare for no-deal Brexit and to guide businesses and individuals. In total, 84 notices are expected to be released over the upcoming weeks. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said a deal is the most likely outcome, but the UK “must be ready to consider the alternative.”
