Taiwan Exports 20.7% More Machine Tools in First Four Months

Taipei, June 27, 2008 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$1.199 billion of machine tools in the first four months of this year, up 20.7% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Machine tools are typically grouped into two major categories: metal-cutting and metal-forming types. Taiwan exported US$954.65 million worth of metal-cutting machine tools in the first four months of this year, up 24.1% from a year earlier, with about US$245.25 million of metal-forming tools exported in the first four months of this year, for an annual increase of 9.2%.

In terms of specific metal-cutting machines, Taiwan saw exports of machining centers grow 27.6% year-on-year in the first four months of this year; lathes, up 40.5%; grinding machines, up a mere 0.4%; and drilling, boring and milling machines, up 18.9%. In the metal-forming machine tool category, exports of presses and shearing machines grew 4.6% year-on-year, and 30.1% for other metal-forming machines.

Mainland China and Hong Kong together was Taiwan's largest export destination by absorbing US$343.85 million of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first four months of this year, down 1.4% year-on-year and accounting for 28.7% of the total machine-tool exports. The U.S. came in second place at US$104.57 million, down 5.4% and commanding 8.7% of the total; while Germany was third at US$66.24 million, up 81.4% and accounting for 5.5%. Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands, India, Brazil, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, United Kingdom, Japan, and Indonesia.

The TMTF's tallies also show that Taiwan imported US$703.04 million of machine tools in the first four months of this year, down 2.8% year-on-year. Imports of metal-cutting machine tools reached US$673.21 million, down 3% and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$29.83 million, up 4.2%.

Major machine-tool categories imported by Taiwan in the first four months of this year included non-conventional machine tools; machining centers; lathes; drilling, boring and milling machines; grinding machines; presses and shearing machines; and other metal-forming machines.

Japan was Taiwan's largest import source by selling US$442.8 million worth of machine tools to Taiwan in the first four months of this year, up a whopping 64.9% year-on-year and accounting for 63% of the total imports. The U.S. stood at the second place with US$174.42 million, down 45% and commanding 24.8%. The third place went to South Korea with US$15.16 million, down 68.7% and accounting for 2.2%.

TMTF chief executive C.C. Wang noted that many domestic machine-tool manufacturers will continue to grow in 2008 with export orders mainly coming from Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, India, North America, European Union, East Europe, and Latin America.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools (Jan.-April 2008) Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-April 2007	Jan.-April 2008	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	42,699	39,309	-7.9
Machining Centers	312,749	399,153	27.6
Lathes	201,100	282,450	40.5
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	100,893	119,929	18.9
Grinding Machines	56,454	56,697	0.4
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	55,328	57,114	3.2
Presses and Shearing Machines	184,716	193,279	4.6
Other Metal-forming Machines	39,944	51,977	30.1
Total	993,883	1,199,908	20.7
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Imports of Machine Tools by Taiwan (Jan.-April 2008) Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-April 2007	Jan.-April 2008	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	601,371	571,834	-4.9
Machining Centers	10,805	17,597	62.9
Lathes	26,566	29,116	9.6
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	11,744	14,671	24.9
Grinding Machines	29,815	28,506	-4.4
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	14,003	11,490	-17.9
Presses and Shearing Machines	21,396	28,465	33
Other Metal-forming Machines	7,240	1,367	-81.1
Total	722,940	703,046	-2.8
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation