Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools Surge 68.4% in First 10 Months of 2010

Taipei, Jan. 6, 2011 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$2.367 billion of machine tools in the first 10 months of 2010, for a 68.4% year-on-year growth, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Exports of metal-cutting machine tools totaled US$1.849 billion, up 72.7% year-on-year and that for metal-forming machines came to US$518.32 million, up 54.7%.

The annual growth in export was 96.9% for machining centers, 34.8% for lathes, 99.2% for grinding machines, 80.3% for drilling, boring and milling machines, 53.6% for presses and shearing machines, and 58.6% for other metal-forming machines.

China and Hong Kong led in absorbing US$1.116 billion of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first 10 months of 2010, surging 112.2% and accounting for 47.2% of the total exports. The U.S. was second with US$121.75 million, up 12.9% and commanding 5.1%. India ranked third with US$100.72 million, up 119.7% and accounting for 4.3%.

Other major export destinations, in descending order, were Thailand, Brazil, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Singapore.

The TMTF's tallies also show Taiwan imported US$582.54 million of machine tools in the first 10 months of 2010, surging 110.2% from a year earlier. Imports of metal-cutting machine tools totaled US$474.46 million, up 113.3% and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$108.08 million, up 97.6%.

Japan was the largest supplier by selling US$356.71 million of machine tools to Taiwan in the first 10 months of 2010, up 169.5% year-on-year and accounting for 61.2% of the total imports. Germany was second with US$48.89 million, up 21.6% and commanding 8.4%. Switzerland ranked third with US$33.22 million, up 111.7% and accounting for 5.7%.

TMTF CEO C.C. Wang noted domestic machine-tool makers have seen strong recovery as many are scrambling to boost output with shift work and hiring new workers to meet increased orders from abroad, adding that many manufacturers are filling orders for shipments in the first quarter of 2011.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools in Jan.-Oct. 2010 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Oct. 2009	Jan.-Oct. 2010	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	60,027	112,421	87.3
Machining Centers	371,620	731,652	96.9
Lathes	326,028	439,376	34.8
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	164,281	296,121	80.3
Grinding Machines	69,522	138,465	99.2
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	79,345	131,411	65.6
Presses and Shearing Machines	258,426	396,902	53.6
Other Metal-forming Machines	76,570	121,427	58.6
Total	1,405,819	2,367,775	68.4
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Imports of Machine Tools by Taiwan in Jan.-Oct. 2010 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Oct. 2009	Jan.-Oct. 2010	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	80,374	218,068	171.3
Machining Centers	21,469	41,440	93
Lathes	31,555	77,758	146.4
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	15,184	25,850	70.2
Grinding Machines	48,031	56,386	17.4
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	25,807	54,962	113
Presses and Shearing Machines	46,658	97,690	109.4
Other Metal-forming Machines	8,036	10,391	29.3
Total	277,114	582,545	110.2
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation