Taiwan' s Machine Tool Exports Grew 19.3% in First 11 Months of 2005

Taipei, Jan. 27, 2006 (CENS)--Exports of Taiwan-made machine tools grew 19.3% year-on-year to reach US$2.417 billion in the first 11 months of 2005, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Of total machine tools sold abroad, exports of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$1.806 billion, up 20% annually, while those of metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$611.1 million, representing a year-on-year growth of 18%.

As for other individual items, the annual export growth for machining centers was 27%, lathes 28%, electric discharge machines 12%, and sawing machines 30%, while other categories grew at a slower pace. Exports of presses and shearing machines grew 16% year-on-year, and other metal-forming machine tools 29%.

Mainland China combined with Hong Kong was the largest export outlet of domestically made machine tools by absorbing US$984.71 million worth of the products in the first 11 months of last year, up 6% and accounting for 40.7% of the total exports. The U.S. stood at the second place with US$238.83 million, up 39% and commanding 9.9%. Third place went to Turkey with US$132.6 million, up 10% and accounting for 5.5%. Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Thailand, South Korea, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Vietnam, Japan, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Brazil, and Canada.

The TMTF' s tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$1.415 billion worth of machine tools in the first 11 months of last year, down 20.3% year-on-year. Of the imports, the value for metal-cutting machine tools came to US$1.295 billion, down 23% annually, and US$120.33 million worth of metal-forming machine tools were imported, up 22%.

TMTF CEO Wang Cheng-ching attributed the decline in imported machine tools to the slump in demand for advanced machinery by the hi-tech industry. Major imported machine-tool items in the first 11 months of last year were non-conventional machine tools; machining centers; lathes; drilling, boring and milling machines; and grinding machines.

In terms of the category of metal-forming machine tools, the import value for presses and shearing machines grew 8% annually in the first 11 months of last year, while that for other metal-forming machines shot up 88%.

Based on the import statistics, Wang said demand for advanced imported machine tools used by such domestic conventional industries as automobile manufacturing and metal product manufacturing is still growing, while demand from such hi-tech industries as semiconductors, information technology, electronics, communications, and optoelectronics has been on the wane.

TMTF said Japan was Taiwan' s largest import source of machine tools by selling US$791.4 million worth of the products to the island in the first 11 months of last year, down 15% year-on-year and accounting for 55.9% of the total imports. The U.S. stood at second place with US$362.96 million, down 41% and commanding 25.6%. The third place went to Germany with US$81.28 million, up 7% and accounting for 5.7%.

Taiwan' s domestic machine-tool industry, TMTF noted, has seen a slowdown in exports and orders received since the beginning of the fourth quarter of last year. TMTF has called for domestic manufacturers to introduce new products and elevate the added value of their product to expand their market share.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools From Jan.-Nov. 2005 Unit: US$1, 000
Products	Jan.-Nov. 2004	Jan.-Nov. 2005	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-Cutting Machines	112, 052	125, 909	12.4
Machining Centers	549, 867	699, 060	27.1
Lathes	359, 207	461, 250	28.4
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	264, 746	251, 291	-5.1
Grinding Machines	124, 906	139, 961	12.1
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	99, 640	129, 063	29.5
Presses & Shearing Machines	413, 208	478, 110	15.7
Other Metal-Forming Machines	103, 051	132, 999	29.1
Total	2, 026, 677	2, 417, 643	19.3
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

　

Imports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools From Jan.-Nov. 2005 Unit: US$1, 000
Products	Jan.-Nov. 2004	Jan.-Nov. 2005	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-Cutting Machines	1433, 340	1, 019, 398	-28.9
Machining Centers	45, 937	35, 129	-23.5
Lathes	62, 112	62, 428	0.5
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	37, 300	37, 556	0.7
Grinding Machines	66, 892	104, 730	56.6
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	32, 635	36, 412	11.6
Presses & Shearing Machines	81, 288	87, 819	8
Other Metal-Forming Machines	17, 286	32, 516	88.1
Total	1, 776, 790	1, 415, 988	-20.3
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation