Taiwan' s Machine Tool Exports Grew 5.4% in First Two Months

Taipei, May 3, 2006 (CENS)—Taiwan' s exports of machine tools amounted to US$388.29 million in the first two months of this year, up 5.4% from the corresponding period of last year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Of the exports, metal-cutting machine tools accounted for US$298.21 million, up 9.9% year-on-year; and metal-forming machine tools commanded US$90.08 million, down 7.3%.

As for the category of metal-cutting machine tools, exports for machining centers grew 12.2% annually in the first two months of this year. Exports for lathes were up 13.4%; electric discharge machines down 0.4%; milling machines up 14.5%; and the remainder grew at a slower pace. In the category of metal-forming machine tools, exports for presses and shearing machines were down 4.9% year-on-year, with the remaining types of the machines dropping 14.9%.

In terms of export outlets, mainland China and Hong Kong together ranked first by absorbing US$133.35 million worth of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first two months of this year, down 6% year-on-year and accounting for 34.3% of the total exports. The U.S. took second place with US$42.31 million, up 6% and commanding 10.9%. The third place went to Turkey with US$22.66 million, up 7.1% and accounting for 5.8%.

Other major export outlets for the products, in descending order, were Thailand, the Netherlands, India, Japan, the U.K., Germany, South Korea, Italy, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brazil.

The TMTF tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$243.43 million worth of machine tools in the first two months of this year, up 9.2% from the like period of last year. Of the tools brought to Taiwan, metal-cutting machine tools accounted for US$220.11 million, up 5.5% year-on-year, and imports for metal-forming machine tools came to US$23.31 million, up 63.9%.

Wang Cheng-ching, CEO of the TMTF, noted major import categories of machine tools in the first two months of this year were non-conventional machine tools, machining centers, lathes, boring and milling machines, and grinding machines.

Japan was the largest source of the imported machine tools, selling US$98.59 million worth of machine tools to Taiwan, down 23.3% year-on-year and accounting for 40.5% of the total imports. The U.S. stood at the second place with US$87.86 million, down 68.2% annually and commanding 36.1%. Germany ranked third with US$17.8 million, up 10.8% and accounting for 7.3%.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools in Jan.-Feb. 2006 Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Feb. 2005	Jan.-Feb. 2006	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	20,120	20,043	-0.4
Machining Centers	108,017	121,144	12.2
Lathes	68,617	77,833	13.4
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	35,183	40,283	14.5
Grinding Machines	20,043	20,434	2
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	19,335	18,480	-4.4
Presses and Shearing Machines	73,945	70,302	-4.9
Other Metal-forming Machines	23,235	19,780	-14.9
Total	368,495	388,299	5.4
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

　

Imports of Machine Tools by Taiwan in Jan.-Feb. 2006 Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Feb. 2005	Jan.-Feb. 2006	Annual Change (%)
EMD, Laser-cutting Machines	152,501	183,893	20.6
Machining Centers	6,881	2,975	-56.8
Lathes	9,146	11,115	21.5
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	6,997	9,347	33.6
Grinding Machines	26,533	8,777	-66.9
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	6,646	4,012	-39.6
Presses and Shearing Machines	10,626	16,765	57.8
Other Metal-forming Machines	3,601	6,550	81.9
Total	222,931	243,434	9.2
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation