Taiwan's woodworking machinery exports up 20.7% in first 5 months

Taipei, Aug. 16, 2004 (CENS)--Taiwan saw export value of woodworking machines amount to US$280 million in the first five months of this year, up 20.7% from the corresponding period of last year, according to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

The U.S. was the largest export outlet for the product by absorbing US$136 million in the first five months of this year, up 23.1% from the same period of last year and accounting for 48.7% of the total exports. Hong Kong and mainland China together ranked second with US$52 million, up 21.6% and accounting for 18.5% of the total.

The third place went to Canada with US$14 million in the first five months of this year, down 4.2% from the like period of last year and accounting for 5.3% of the total. Other major export outlets for Taiwan-made woodworking machines, in descending order, included Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Britain, and Japan.

TAMI said Taiwan's imports of woodworking machines amounted to US$69 million in the first five months of this year, up 58.9% from the corresponding period of last year.

Japan was the largest import source with US$57 million in the first five months of this year, up 92.7% from the same period of last year and accounting for 82.9% of the total imports. Germany ranked second with US$5.28 million, up 0.1% and accounting for 7.5% of the total imports. The third place went to Switzerland with US$1.86 million, down 45.1% and commanding 2.7% of the total imports.

Other major import sources of the product, in descending order, were Hong Kong and mainland China, the United States, Holland, South Korea, and Italy.