Turkish automotive production falls 2% in January

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The country’s exports declined by 12% to 40,071 vehicles in January 2013, down from January 2012’s 45,703 vehicles, according to data published by the Turkish Automotive Manufacturers’ Assn (OSD).

Turkey’s domestic sales reached 37,139 vehicles in January 2013, a 19% increase year-on-year. Increasing domestic demand is due to the need for buses in the country’s cities, OSD said.

The slowdown in the Western European markets continues to drag on Turkish exports. Turkey’s shipments to the region fell by 9.5% in January year-on-year.

Demand in Germany, France, Spain and Italy continued to shrink in January 2013, OSD said, but strengthened in the UK.

Automotive production is expected to keep shrinking in 2013, mostly because of the weak market in Europe, the country’s biggest export destination, an executive at a Turkish steel service centre told Steel First.

There may be a slight improvement in the second half of the year, he added, if Europe’s economic outlook improves.