NFDA chief executive Sue Robinson has joined the Automotive 30% Club, a voluntary network of MDs and CEOs from UK based automotive sectors. The organisation sets out to achieve a better gender balance within the automotive industry. It takes its name from its target of at achieving at least 30 per cent of key leadership positions in member organisations with diverse women by 2030.
On Tuesday 17 January, the evening of the NFDA Executive Meeting, NFDA brought together franchised dealer members, MPs, and Lords to the House of Lords to discuss the significance of the automotive retail sector, in addition to some of the pertinent issues the sector is facing.
Following Prime Minster Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet reshuffle, on Wednesday 26 October, NFDA has written to the new Secretary of States for key Cabinet positions, highlighting the principal challenges the automotive industry is currently facing. Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) which represents car and commercial retailers in the UK commented: “NFDA is the leading figure for automotive retailers in the UK and it is important we maintain our close relationship with Government in order to effectively voice the issues affecting our members. Reaching out to Government’s new ministers, highlighting the key issues currently impacting our sector, will give us a head start in addressing these issues and levelling up our industry.”
The light commercial vehicle (LCV) market grew by 10.8 per cent to 34,950 units in September – a popular month due to the plate change. Despite strong order books throughout 2022, September is the first month of growth in registrations this year, as supply disruptions have restricted model availability. The SMMT warned that this performance is artificially inflated versus 2021; this September remains -35.5 per cent below the five-year pre-pandemic average.
The UK new car market recorded its second successive month of growth in September (the second ‘plate change’ month of the year), with registrations rising 4.6 per cent, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). During what is typically the second biggest month of the year for the sector, 225,269 cars joined Britain’s roads. While this was a 9,957 unit increase on last year, when the industry recorded its weakest September since 1998, overall registrations for the month are still some -34.4 per cent below pre-pandemic levels as the industry continues to battle issues constraining supply to fulfil a backlog of orders.
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK, has reacted to the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2022, details of which were outlined in Parliament earlier today (23/9/22). Sue Robinson, NFDA chief executive, commented on the announcements made today by the Chancellor regarding National Insurance contributions, Corporation Tax, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, business rates, and infrastructure spending.
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK, has conducted the Dealer Attitude Survey twice a year since 1989. Commenting on the results of the NFDA Dealer Attitude Survey Summer 2022/2023 published on Monday 12 September 2022, Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the NFDA, said: “Despite the unprecedented challenges facing the automotive retail industry, it is optimistic to see our survey has revealed only marginal differences in manufacturer ratings. Franchised dealers show high levels of satisfaction in key business areas, particularly in used car margins and performance measures.”
The National Franchised Dealers Association has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, urging support to mitigate the impact on UK automotive businesses of spiralling energy costs. Bills for auto dealers are expected to have risen 250 per cent by October. 94 per cent of the association’s members said the energy crisis will have a significant and detrimental impact on their business.
The Q2 figures for used car sales in the UK shows a substantial fall from the figure for 2021, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and traders. “The decline reflects the strength of the figures in 2021, the busiest quarter since records began. Franchised dealers continue to see strong demand in the used car segment driven by a combination of consumer demand and a lack of supply of new vehicles”, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association.
New UK car registrations fell -20.6 per cent to 124,394 units in the second weakest May since 1992, after the 2020 pandemic-hit market, as supply shortages continued to hamper new purchases and the fulfilment of existing orders, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The decline, compared with the first full month of reopened showrooms in May last year, demonstrates the impact of continued global supply chain disruptions, with the market -32.3 per cent below the 2019 pre-pandemic level despite strong order books.
“As new car sales continue to be impacted by the ongoing supply constraints, it is encouraging to see that consumer appetite for second-hand vehicles remained robust in the first quarter of the year”, said Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), commenting on the latest SMMT’s used car figures. The UK’s used car market rose 5.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2022 with 1,774,351 transactions. There were 86,596 more cars changing hands compared to the same period in 2021. Despite this increase, used car transactions remain -12.2 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Government-backed Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) accreditation scheme was developed in 2019 to encourage retailers to enhance their expertise in the electric vehicle sector and support consumer confidence as the market moves towards EVs. The EVA scheme is endorsed and subsidised by the Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and is independently audited by Energy Saving Trust. There are now more than 300 EVA accredited sites spread across the UK with “many more dealers in the pipeline…”
The UK automotive sector recorded a positive start to 2022 as 115,087 new cars were registered, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Registrations were up by more than a quarter (27.5 per cent) on January 2021, when lockdown restrictions kept car showrooms shut.
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