Taiwan's machinery output value up 5.67% in Q3

Taipei, Oct. 29, 2003 (CENS)--The production value of Taiwan's machinery industry amounted to NT$112.5 billion (US$3.31 billion at US$1:NT$33.9) in the third quarter of this year, up 5.67% from the same quarter of last year, according to a survey conducted by the Industrial Technology Information Services (IT IS) under the auspices of the Industrial Technology Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

IT IS estimated total production value of the local machinery industry will exceed NT$436.3 billion (US$12.87 million) this year, for an increase of 7.18% from last year.

Liu Hsin-hung, industry analyst of the IT IS, said the domestic machinery industry maintained an upward trend in the first three quarters of this year. The production value of the industry reached NT$95.7 billion (US$2.82 billion) and NT$109.4 billion (US$3.22 billion) in the first and second quarters of this year, respectively. The value is very likely to surpass NT$119 billion (US$3.51 billion) in the fourth quarter of this year.

In the first eight months of the year, almost all machinery sectors enjoyed growth in production value, with the exception for machine tools with robotic arms, rubber and plastics processing machines, special-purpose machines and construction machines. Of them, metal cutting and forming machine tools posted an annual production growth of 27.19% and 24.12%, respectively, in the same eight-month period.

Liu projected the local output value for machine tools at NT$60.1 billion (US$1.77 billion) this year, up 23.67% from last year's NT$48.6 billion (US$1.43 billion). The production value of metal molds came to NT$32.4 billion (US$955.75 million) in the first eight months of this year, up 16.43% from the same period of last year, and is expected to reach NT$49.8 billion (US$1.46 billion) this year, up 20% from last year.

The production value of textile and apparel machinery is expected to reach NT$35.4 billion (US$1.04 billion) this year, up 5.87% from last year. The output value of rubber and plastic processing machines amounted to NT$17.9 billion (US$528 million) in the first eight months of this year, down 36.34% from the same period of last year, and is expected to reach NT$28.2 billion (US$831.85 million) this year, down 34.71% from last year's NT$43.1 billion (US$1.27 billion).

Imports, Exports of Taiwan Machinery Industry In First Seven Months, 2003 Unit:NT$1 million
	Imports		Exports
	Value	Growth (%)	Value	Growth (%)
The Entire Machinery Industry	193,752	10.5	209,537	4.85
Machine Tools	10,490	22.04	35,148	16.45
Rubber & Plastics Processing Machinery	2,755	48.82	14,508	9.91
Woodworking Machinery	2,809	13.92	12,883	-1.2
Textile & Apparel Machinery	5,114	26.14	16,878	2.72

Source: Directorate General of Customs, Ministry of Finance