UK commercial vehicle manufacturing output fell by 3.3% in April, the smallest decline so far this year, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Home demand for UK-built commercial vehicles rose by 24.5% to 3,897, compared to 3,131 in April 2012 — a remarkable increase — but this was outweighed by the 18.3% slump in export demand, which fell to 4,726 from 5,782 in April 2012.

Data courtesy of SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

So far this year, home demand has risen by 9.1%, while export demand has fallen by 31.1%, compared to the first four months of last year. Overall, CV output is down by 15.2% so far this year, compared to the same period last year:

UK CV manufacturing output April 2013 (courtesy of SMMT)

The SMMT says that while some CV manufacturers are performing better than others, net volumes are expected to fall over the full year. Weak European export markets are the problem, as Mike Baunton, SMMT Interim Chief Executive, explains:

“Demand for UK-built commercial vehicles continued to fall in April, with output dropping 3.3%. There is growth at some UK plants which helped to ease the rate of decline compared to previous months this year. 2013 is proving to be a difficult year for our CV manufacturers as they experience weak demand from export markets, particularly Europe. Rising output for the home market is encouraging, demonstrating that UK operators are keen to exploit the diverse variety of CVs made in the UK from light vans to double-decker buses and large trucks.”

As I’ve highlighted before, Luton-based Vauxhall is the UK’s biggest CV manufacturers, thanks to the enduring popularity of its medium van, the Vivaro. The Vivaro continues to have a strong following amongst retail van buyers, and may soon be the only volume production van model made in the UK, thanks to Ford’s decision to end Transit production at its Southampton plant.