Taiwan's Machinery Export Slumps 36.8% in First Four Months

Taipei, July 8, 2009 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$3.457 billion of machinery in the first four months of this year, down 36.8% year-on-year, according to the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

The machine tools category led with exports reaching US$585.89 million in the first four months of this year, down 51.9% from the year earlier. The second place went to valves and parts with US$215.84 million, down 29.5%. Plastic and rubber processing machinery stood at the third place with US$212.45 million, down 37.9%.

Other major export categories included, in descending order, machine-tool parts and components, textile machinery, woodworking machinery, sewing machinery, paper making and printing machinery etc.

Mainland China and Hong Kong together led by absorbing US$784.33 million of Taiwan-made machinery in the first four months of this year, down 48.8% year-on-year and accounting for 22.7% of the total export. The second place went to the U.S. with US$672.95 million, down 18.4% and commanding 19.5%. Japan stood at the third place with US$284.08 million, down 12.8% and accounting for 8.2%.

Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, United Kingdom etc.

The TAMI's tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$3.846 billion of machinery in the first four months of this year, down 44.2% year-on-year.

The category of special-purpose machinery led with imports of US$457.17 million, down 78.9% year-on-year and accounting for 11.9% of the total import. The second place was engines and parts at US$220.82 million, down 22.6% and commanding 5.7%. Pumps, compressors and fans were third at US$209.59 million, down 41.9% and accounting for 5.4%.

Japan led as the top supplier to Taiwan at US$1.914 billion of machinery over the first four months, down 36.7% year-on-year and accounting for a whopping 49.8% of the total. The U.S. came in second at US$510.46 million, down 67.6% and commanding 13.3%. Mainland China and Hong Kong together were third at US$387.23 million, down 34.8% and commanding 10.1%.

Other major suppliers included, in descending order, Germany, South Korea, Italy, United Kingdom and France.

TAMI president C.C. Wang said Taiwan saw declines in imports and exports of machinery for six months in a row to April this year, and predicted exports of machinery will decline by between 30% and 35% year-on-year in the first half.