Polish car manufacturers produced 61,587 passenger and commercial vehicles in February, up 22.7% year-on-year, Kallanish learns from Polish automotive market research institute Samar. The figure represents the largest monthly output since March 2012.

Passenger vehicle output in February rose 24.6% to 51,786 units. The largest producers were Fiat with 28,342 units, up 7%; Opel with 16,830 units, up 116%; and Volkswagen with 6,614 units, down 9%. Commercial vehicles production rose 14% to 9,801 units, all produced by Volkswagen Poznan. Overall production in January-February thus increased 18.8% to 115,590 units.

Polish automotive output (including buses) increased in 2014 for the first year since 2008, hitting 593,500 units, according to Central Statistical Office (GUS) data. Passenger car output, however, edged down 0.5% to 472,600 units. Nevertheless, passenger and commercial vehicle output is forecast to surpass 610,000 vehicles in 2015, the highest output since 2011.

US Steel Kosice – which supplies automotive steel – said it expects car output in the Visegrad group of countries – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – to increase 3% in 2015 to 3 million units. ArcelorMittal Poland also supplies automotive sheet.