The commercial vehicle market in Spain contracted in September 2012, with registrations dropping by 22.9% to 1,222 units. Registrations were, however, up month-on-month, compared with the 811 CVs registered in August this year, when numbers were down 26.9%.
According to the Spanish automotive industry association, Anfac, while truck registrations declined by 30.6% last month, bus, coach and minibus numbers improve by 17.6%.
Light-duty truck registrations plummeted 66.7% year-on-year in September, down to 24 units, compared with 72 trucks accounted for in the same month a year earlier. This segment comprises trucks between 2.5 and 6 tonnes. Nissan was the only brand that reached double-digit sales last month, at 12 units (-42.9%).
Medium and heavy-duty trucks, between 6 and 16 tonnes, accounted for 77 units last month, 52.8% lower than the 163 trucks registered in this segment in September 2011. Segment leader Iveco managed sales of 31 trucks, but the OEM’s sales were down sharply – by 56.9%.
Iveco also led the heavy-duty truck segment, selling 204 trucks over 16 tonnes. Iveco’s sales in this segment improved from 96 units sold last September. Overall, heavy-duty truck registrations in Spain fell by 25%, from 1,093 units to 820.
Buses and coaches combined accounted for registrations of 219 vehicles in September. Compared with the 198 units accounted for a year earlier, last month’s figure was an improvement of 10.6%. MAN’s sales in this segment rose from 40 to 65 units, translating into an increase of 62.5%.
Mercedes-Benz dominated Spain’s minibus segment last month, posting sales of 46 units, up from 17 recorded in the corresponding month a year earlier. The German brand’s nearest rival in the minibus segment was Iveco, which managed 12 units. Overall, the minibus market expanded by 41.4% in September, with registrations rising from 58 units to 82.
Earlier in October, Volvo Group announced plans to sell its crankshaft plant in Leganes, Spain, part of a wider restructuring and cost-cutting plan. One of Volvo Group’s suppliers, MAPE, will buy the facility.
The Leganes plant employs around 150 people and produces crankshafts for Volvo Group’s automotive medium-duty engine platform.
“This comprises part of our effort to develop an improved industrial footprint, in line with our new strategy,” commented Mikael Bratt, Executive Vice President of Volvo Group Truck Operations.
