TMTF: Taiwan Sees 56.4% Slump in Machine-tool Exports

Taipei, November 9, 2009 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$1.129 billion of machine tools in the first eight months of this year, down 56.4% from a year earlier, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

From Jan. to August the exports of metal-cutting machine tools totaled US$853.01 million, down 58.5% year-on-year and that for metal-forming machine tools reached US$276.88 million, down 48.3%.

In the metal-cutting machine tool category, exports of machining centers were down 64.4%; that for lathes down 5.3%; grinding machines, down 60.4%; and drilling, boring and milling machines, down 49.5%. In the metal-forming machine tool category, exports of presses and shearing machines were down 48.7% and that for other metal-forming products down 46.5%.

Hong Kong and China together bought US$419.43 million of machine tools from Taiwan in the first eight months of this year, down 45% year-on-year and accounting for 37.1% of the total exports. The USA was second at US$92.79 million, down 59.9% and commanding 8.2%. Germany was third at US$55.32 million, down 62.6% and commanding 4.9%. Other major export destinations, in descending order, were Thailand, Brazil, India, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Italy, Vietnam, Japan, United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Indonesia.

The TMTF tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$212.05 million of machine tools in the first eight months of this year, down 82.2% year-on-year. The imports of metal-cutting machine tools totaled US$168.43 million, down 85% and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$43.62 million, down 35.9%.

Japan was the biggest supplier to Taiwan by selling US$96.76 million of the products, down 86.8% year-on-year and accounting for a whopping 45.6% of the total imports. Germany was second at US$33.19 million, down 37% and commanding 15.7%. Italy was third at US$17.22 million, up 63.1% and accounting for 8.1%.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools (Jan.-August 2009) Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-August 2008	Jan.-August 2009	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines		48,008	-55.8
Machining Centers	835,309	297,473	-64.4
Lathes	588,284	263,230	-55.3
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	258,620	130,624	-49.5
Grinding Machines	136,336	54,039	-60.4
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	129,064	59,637	-53.8
Presses and Shearing Machines	429,561	220,239	-48.7
Other Metal-forming Machines	105,868	56,643	-46.5
Total	2,591,762	1,129,893	-56.4
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Imports of Machine Tools into Taiwan (Jan.-Aug. 2009) by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-August 2008	Jan.-August 2009	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	911,916	56,634	-93.8
Machining Centers	36,833	18,051	-51
Lathes	57,879	23,480	-59.4
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	31,111	13,002	-58.2
Grinding Machines	67,283	40,275	-40.1
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	20,984	16,988	-19
Presses and Shearing Machines	60,646	37,004	-39
Other Metal-forming Machines	7,432	6,621	-10.9
Total	1,194,084	212,055	-82.2
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation