Polish passenger car production slumped -18.4% on-year in June to 46,600 units, taking year-to-date output growth back into negative territory, according to data from Poland’s Central Statistical Office (GUS) monitored by Kallanish.

Following a 1.9% on-year growth in May which saw y-t-d production increase 0.6%, the June slump means output in the first half of 2017 declined -2.9% on-year to 302,600 units.

Production of commercial vehicles, including trucks and tractors, however, surged for a sixth consecutive month, rising 21.9% on-year in June to 13,981 units. This took six-month output up 28.8% on-year to 83,160 units.

Public transport vehicle output, meanwhile, increased 15% on-year in June to 537 units, taking H1 output up 12.6% on-year to 2,609 units.

Overall automotive output in Poland thus rose 3% on-year in January-June to 388,369 units. In full-year 2016 it grew 3% to 681,800 vehicles, the highest figure since 2011.

The automotive production trend will be watched closely by ArcelorMittal Poland and US Steel Kosice (USSK) which both supply Polish car manufacturers with automotive sheet.

USSK said recently it forecasts car production in its local Visegrad markets of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary to rise 1.2% on-year in 2017, compared to a -0.5% contraction projected in April (see Kallanish 7 August).