Taiwan's Machine Tool Exports Grow 67.6% in January

Taipei, April 8, 2011 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$298.23 million of machine tools in January 2011, up 67.6% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF), of which exports of metal-cutting machine tools amounted to US$234.43 million, up 70.9% and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$63.79 million, up 56.7%.

Exports for machining centers grew 85% year-on-year in January 2011, lathes jumped 80.4%, grinding machines (+40.9%), drilling, boring and milling machines (+71%), shaping, sawing and gearing machines (+18.7%), presses and shearing machines (+44.5%), and other metal-forming machines (+91.2%).

China and Hong Kong together led in buying US$114.46 million of Taiwan-made machine tools in January 2011, up 49.6% year-on-year and accounting for 38.4% of the total exports. The U.S. was second place with US$20.87 million, up 107.4% and commanding 7%. Turkey was third with US$15.15 million, up 178.3% and accounting for 5.1%.

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

The TMTF's tallies also show that Taiwan imported US$58.28 million of machine tools in January 2011, up 33% from a year earlier, of which metal-cutting machine tools amounted to US$52.16 million, up 36.2% and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$6.11 million, up 10.9%. (See table)

Japan was the largest supplier selling US$36.46 million of machine tools to Taiwan in January 2011, up 56.9% year-on-year and accounting for 62.6% of the total imports. Switzerland was second with US$6.85 million, surging 527.6% and commanding 11.8%. China and Hong Kong were third with US$3.74 million, up 50.1% and commanding 6.4%.

TMTF CEO C.C. Wang said domestic leading machine-tool manufacturers are beginning to receive orders for shipment in the third quarter with backlogged production lines, adding that sales of Taiwan-made machine-tool manufacturers in the first half of this year is largely affected by the sharp price hike in cast iron and the insufficient supply of key components, as well as the appreciation of local currency against the greenback.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools (January 2011) Unit: US$1,000
Products	January 2010	January 2011	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	10,076	16,448	63.2
Machining Centers	52,249	96,656	85
Lathes	31,676	57,142	80.4
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	19,386	33,153	71
Grinding Machines	12,540	17,674	40.9
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	11,260	13,363	18.7
Presses and Shearing Machines	30,050	43,409	44.5
Other Metal-forming Machines	10,662	20,389	91.2
Total	177,899	298,234	67.6
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Imports of Machine Tools into Taiwan (January 2011) Unit: US$1,000
Products	January 2010	January 2011	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	21,868	18,804	-14
Machining Centers	2,311	10,698	362.9
Lathes	3,677	7,596	106.6
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	3,336	611	-81.7
Grinding Machines	3,096	8,890	187.1
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	4,021	5,566	38.4
Presses and Shearing Machines	4,878	4,904	0.5
Other Metal-forming Machines	641	1,214	89.4
Total	43,828	58,283	33
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation