Tsunami fall-out continues to affect auto production

Figures released by the Japan
Automobile Manufacturers’
Association (Jama) show how the
earthquake and tsunami of March
continue to affect production.
According to Jama, Japanese
automobile production in May
2011 fell by 30.9% (489 723 units)
compared to May 2010’s 709 113
units.
Vehicle exports were down by
40.5% – from 340 721 units in May
2010 to 202 833 this year.
Motorcycle production is up by
10.2% to 53 105 units, while exports
dropped 4.4% to 33 946 units.
A shortage of Japanese
components also hit South African
vehicle exports, according to the
National Association of Automobile
Manufacturers of South Africa
(Naamsa).
This year, the country exported
22 063 vehicles – a drop of 2 117
units or 8.8% compared to the
24 180 vehicles exported during
May last year.
According to Naamsa,
“constraints on the availability of
components from Japan impacted
on the production of certain product
lines in South Africa”.