Exports of Taiwan-made Machinery Down 4.8% in January

Taipei, April 3, 2006 (CENS)--Exports of Taiwan-made machinery amounted to US$1.06 billion in January, down 4.8% from the corresponding period of last year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

As for the export value for individual types of machinery, machine tools ranked first with an export value reaching US$212.8 million in January this year, down 3.9% from the same period of last year. Plastics and rubber processing machinery came in second with US$73.41 million, down 12.4%. Pumps, compressors, and fans were the third-largest export item with US$69.37 million, down 12.6%. The fourth place went to valves and parts with US$64.66 million, up 9.7%. Special-purpose machinery ranked fifth with US$60.88 million, down 9.6%. Molds and dies took the sixth place with US$54.15 million, up 13.3%.

Other major export items, in descending order, were textile machinery (US$47.46 million, down 1.9%); woodworking machinery (US$41.91 million, down 36.1%); sewing machines (US$34.18 million, down 23.5%); bearings, gears and ball screws (US$15.82 million, up 2.3%); paper-making and printing machinery (US$14.99 million, down 26.8%); and leather and shoe-making machines (US$8.96 million, down 20%).

In terms of the largest export outlets, Hong Kong and mainland China together ranked first by absorbing SU$322.74 million worth of Taiwan-made machinery in January, down 18.3% year-on-year and accounting for 30.4% of the total exports. The U.S. came in second with US$184.03 million, down 1% and commanding 17.3%. The third place went to Japan with US$61.49 million, down 9.8% and accounting for 5.8%. Fourth place went to Thailand with US$51.51 million, up 9.3% annually. Malaysia ranked fifth with US$28.12 million, up 4.3%. Indonesia was the sixth-largest export outlet with US$27.35 million, down 9.3%.

Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Germany, Vietnam, Canada, India, Turkey, the U.K., Italy, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Australia, Spain, the Philippines, France, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Finland, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.

The TAMI tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$1.169 billion worth of machinery from abroad in January this year, down 33.8%. In terms of specific items, special-purpose machines ranked first with an import value amounting to US$299.73 million, down 50.7% year-on-year and accounting for 25.6% of the total imports. The second place went to machine tools with US$108.02 million, down 8.8% and commanding 9.2%. The category of pumps, compressors, and fans took the third place with US$95.02 million, down 4.9% and accounting for 8.1%. The fourth place went to engines and parts with US$48.1 million, down 54.3% and commanding 4.1%.

Other major import items, in descending order, were valves and parts (US$42.93 million), textile machinery (US$22.18 million), and plastics and rubber processing machinery (US$21.53 million).

As for the largest import sources of the products, Japan ranked first by selling US$522.86 million wroth of machinery to Taiwan, down 45.1% annually and accounting for 44.7% of the total imports. The U.S. ranked second with US$241.06 million, down 294% and commanding 20.6%. Germany took third with US$102.05 million, down 10% and accounting for 8.7%. The fourth place went to mainland China and Hong Kong together with US$92.05 million, up 7.7% and commanding 7.9%.

Other major import sources, in descending order, were South Korea, the U.K., Italy, Switzerland, and France.

TAMI vice president Wang Cheng-ching predicted Taiwan would see exports of machinery grow between 5% and 10% year-on-year this year. The overall production value of the products is predicted to grow 10% this year.