Taiwan's exports of machining centers shot up 53% in first 5 months

Taipei, Aug. 3, 2004 (CENS)--Taiwan exported 5,306 machining centers at an average price of US$41,200 per unit in the first five months of the year, with the total export value rising 53% from one year earlier to reach US$218 million, according to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

In terms of major export outlets for Taiwan-made machining centers, Hong Kong and mainland China together ranked first by absorbing US$79 million in the first five months of this year, up 32.9% from the like period of last year and accounting for 36.2% of the island's total export of the product. The second place went to the U.S., which soaked up US$20 million in the same period, up 64.7% from one year earlier and accounting for 9.3% of the total. Turkey ranked third with US$16 million, up 86.7% and accounting for 7.5%.

Other major export outlets included Holland, Malaysia, Italy, South Korea, Thailand, Britain, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Singapore, India, and Indonesia. TAMI's vice president, Wang Cheng-ching, said the top-15 export outlets for Taiwan-made machining centers accounted for 85% of island's total exports of the products in the first five months. Wang stated Taiwan was the world's largest exporter of machining centers in terms of volume in the first five months of this year.

The TAMI tallies also showed Taiwan exported US$84 million worth of computerized numerically controlled (CNC) lathes in the first five months of this year, up 62% from the corresponding period of last year. The average export price per unit stood at US$39,400.

In terms of export outlets of Taiwan-made CNC lathes, Hong Kong and mainland Chin ranked first by absorbing US$24 million in the first five months of this year, up 48% from the same period of last year and accounting for 28.8% of the total. Turkey took the second place with US$14 million, up 208% and commanding 17.2%. The U.S. followed with US$5.6 million, up 7.9% and taking up 6.7% of the total.

Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Thailand, Germany, Britain, Malaysia, Japan, Italy, and Holland. The top-10 export outlets accounted for 77% of Taiwan's total exports of CNC lathes. TAMI said CNC lathe was the second largest export item of domestically made machine tools in the first five months of this year.