Taiwan's Machinery Exports Grow 36.3% in Q1

Taipei, June 8, 2010 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$3.546 billion of machinery in the first quarter of this year, for a robust 36.3% year-on-year growth, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

TAMI says Taiwan began recovering from declining machinery export in December last year when the export value hit US$1.184 billion, up 8.2% from a year earlier.

Machine tools led in export value totaling US$532.74 million in the first quarter of this year, up 15% year-on-year. Plastics and rubber machines were second at US$227.5 million, up 48.9%. Special-purpose machines was third at US$219.67 million, up 56.9%. (See table below)

China led as export destination by absorbing US$1.074 billion of machinery from Taiwan in the first quarter, up 99% year-on-year and accounting for 30.3% of the total exports. The U.S. was second at US$614.82 million, up 16.5% and commanding 17.3%. Japan was third at US$202.09 million, down 15.2% and accounting for 5.7%.

Taiwan also imported US$5.693 billion of machinery in the first quarter, up 96.6% year-on-year.

Machinery for integrated circuits, semiconductors led in value of imported machinery at US$2.799 billion in the first quarter, up 291% year-on-year and accounting for 49.2% of the total imports. Special-purpose machines was second at US$428.52 million, up 18.8% and commanding 7.5%. Pumps, compressors and fans was third at US$273.83 million, up 68.1% and commanding 4.8%. (See table below)

TAMI president C.C. Wang says Taiwan still relied on Japan, the U.S., China and Germany for advanced machinery in the first quarter. Japan was the island's largest supplier by selling US$2.255 billion of machinery to Taiwan in the first quarter, up 52.5% from a year earlier and accounting for 38.6% of the total imports. The U.S. with second at US$1.314 billion, up 243% and commanding 23.1%, with China being third at US$458.94 million, up 68.6% and accounting for 8.1%.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machinery by Category, Jan.-March 2010 Unit: US$ million
Rank	Product Category	Q1 2009	Q1 2010	Annual Change (%)
1	Machine Tools	444,859	532,743	19.8
2	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	152,819	227,503	48.9
3	Special-purpose Machinery	139,979	219,674	56.9
4	Pumps, Compressors, Fans	145,907	204,246	40
5	Valves & Parts	164,974	192,024	16.4
6	Bearings, Gears, Ball Screws	107,578	189,432	76.1
7	Machine-tool Parts & Components	73,685	149,566	103
8	Paper Making, Printing Machinery	90,295	137,680	52.5
9	Textile Machinery	68,900	125,626	82.3
10	Woodworking Machinery	70,973	118,168	66.5
11	Molds & Dies	108,274	116,343	7.5
12	Sewing Machines; Leather & Shoe-making Machines	66,719	104,137	56.1
13	Food & Packaging Machinery	72,047	91,464	27
	Others	893,773	1,137,546	27.3
	Total	2,600,782	3,546,152	36.3
Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry

Imports of Machinery into Taiwan by Category, Q1 2010 Unit: US$ million
Rank	Produce Category	Q1 2009	Q1 2010	Annual Change (%)
1	Machinery for ICs, Semiconductors	714,224	2,799,179	291.9
2	Special-purpose Machinery	360,754	428,527	18.8
3	Pumps, Fans, Compressors	162,918	273,834	68.1
4	Engines & Parts	169,238	201,193	18.9
5	Equipment for Materials Treatment	208,817	163,816	-21.9
6	Components and Parts	119,972	161,257	34.4
7	Valves & Parts	89,657	126,532	41.1
8	Machine Tools	81,168	119,418	47.1
9	Glassware-making Machinery	75,634	117,132	54.9
10	Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment	88,189	101,837	15.5
11	Handling Equipment	78,797	77,695	-1.4
12	Textile Machinery	39,210	67,488	72.1
13	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	45,174	50,138	11
	Others	661,757	1,005,388	51.9
	Total	2,895,509	5,693,434	96.6
Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry