Taiwan's exports of plastic and rubber processing machines up 20% in 2004

Taipei, March 9, 2005 (CENS)--Taiwan's exports of plastic and rubber processing machines amounted to US$921.62 million in 2004, representing a 20% growth year-on-year, according to customs statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

Hong Kong and mainland China together were the largest export outlet, absorbing US$433.09 million worth of the products from Taiwan last year, up 10.7% annually and accounting for 47% of Taiwan's total exports of the products. Thailand ranked second with US$85.66 million, up 57.2% and commanding 9.3%. The third place went to India with US$34.66 million, up a whopping 73.2% and accounting for 3.7%.

Other major export outlets for the products in the same period, in descending order, were Indonesia (up 17.8% year-on-year), Malaysia (up 16.6%), Vietnam (up 7.6%), Japan (up 6.3%), Turkey (19.3%), the U.S. (up 6.9%), and Iran (up 9.5%).

On another front, Taiwan's imports of plastics and rubber processing machines also grew rapidly to reach US$596.64 million in 2004, advancing 13.3% from the year earlier. Japan was the largest import source by supplying US$409.63 million worth of the products to Taiwan last year, up 4.1% year-on-year. Germany ranked second with US$67.43 million, representing an annualized growth of 9.2% and accounting for 11.3% of the total. The third place went to Hong Kong and mainland China with US$27.15 million, up 128% and commanding 4.6%.

Other major import sources, in descending order, were the U.S., Switzerland, Canada, and Sweden. TAMI vice president Wang Cheng-ching said the imported machines were mainly employed by such hi-tech industries as semiconductor, TFT-LCD (thin film transistor-liquid crystal display) panels, and communications.

Meanwhile, TAMI's statistics also showed Taiwan exported US$723.69 million worth of woodworking machines in 2004, up 15.9% from 2003.

Of the major export outlets, the U.S. ranked first by absorbing US$332.25 million worth of the products last year, up 10% year-on-year and accounting for 45.9% of the island's total exports of woodworking machines. Hong Kong and mainland China stood at second with US$136.9 million, up 15% and commanding 18.9%. The third place went to Canada with US$42.95 million, up 14.8% and accounting for 5.9%.

Other major export outlets for the products, in descending order, were Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Germany, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Japan. TAMI said the top-10 export outlets absorbed 87.8% of Taiwan's total exports of woodworking machines.