The British auto industry has had a turbulent first half of the year. Not only are chip components missing, the employees too – due to strict guidelines for self-isolation.
Corona quarantine regulations and global chip shortages brought British carmakers the worst June in almost 70 years.
The production of 69 097 cars meant the worst monthly value since 1953, with the exception of the Corona year 2020, as the industry association SMMT announced on Thursday in London. Association chief Mike Hawes said that up to 30 percent of the workers were absent at some suppliers because they had to stay at home because of contact with corona infected people.
This “pingdemie” – as the phenomenon is called in Great Britain because of the “pinging” of the Corona warning app – has recently hit the entire economy hard. Sometimes supermarkets remained empty, garbage cans were not emptied, buses and trains stopped.
The self-isolation of employees has contributed to the “very difficult” situation in the industry, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Hawes called on the government to change self-isolation rules earlier than planned. At the moment, fully vaccinated people also have to be quarantined at home if they are “pinged” (ringing the bell), this should not change until August 16.
The industry experienced a “turbulent” first half of the year. In addition to the consequences of the pandemic, Brexit also affected some of the new trade rules and supplier problems. Almost half a million fewer cars rolled off the assembly line in the UK in the first six months, 38 percent fewer than the average for the past five years. The industry puts the loss at 8.5 billion pounds (10 billion euros).
Four out of five vehicles produced in the UK are exported. Despite Brexit, the EU remains the most important market with an export share of over 50 percent.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
