Taiwan Exports US$4.8 B. Machinery in First Four Months of 2010

Taipei, July 6, 2010 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$4.85 billion of machinery in the first four months, up 40.3% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

Impacted by the global crash, Taiwan's machinery exports plummeted for 13 months straight until December last year when exports hit US$1.184 billion, up 8.2% year-on-year.

Machine tools led as export with value reaching US$758.76 million in the first four months, up 29.5% from a year earlier. Plastics and rubber processing machinery at US$321.68 million, up 51.4%, was second. Special-purpose machinery ranked third at US$316.58 million, up 66%. (See table below.)

China led as export outlet by absorbing US$1.535 billion of Taiwan-made machinery in the first four months, up 95.8% year-on-year and accounting for 31.7% of the total exports. The U.S. was second with US$790.45 million, up 17.5% from a year earlier and commanding 16.3%. Japan was third with US$266.14 million, down 6.3% year-on-year and accounting for 5.5%.

The TAMI tallies also show Taiwan imported US$7.822 billion of machinery in the first four months of this year, up 103% from a year earlier.

Machinery for integrated circuits and semiconductors led as imports with value totaling US$3.912 billion in the first four months, up a whopping 310% year-on-year and accounting for half of the total imports. Special-purpose machinery at US$612.49 million, up 34% and accounting for 7.8%, came in second. Pumps, compressors and fans ranked third with US$370.65 million, up 67.8% and commanding 4.7%. (See table below)

TAMI president C.C. Wang noted Taiwan still relied on Japan, the U.S., China and Germany for imported machinery. Japan was still the island's biggest supplier by selling US$3.141 billion of machinery to Taiwan in the first four months, up 64.1% year-on-year for 40.2% of the total imports. The U.S. with US$1.812 billion, up 255% and accounting for 23.2%, was second. China was third with US$628.03 million, up 62.2% and commanding 8%.

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

Exports of Taiwan-made Machinery by Category, Jan.-April 2010 Unit: US$ million
Rank	Product Category	Jan.-April 2009	Jan.-April 2010	Change (%)
1	Machine Tools	585,896	758,768	29.5
2	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	212,451	321,681	51.4
3	Special-purpose Machinery	190,745	316,580	66
4	Pumps, Compressors, Fans	198,992	280,996	41.2
5	Valves & Parts	215,841	264,240	22.4
6	Bearings, Gears, Ball Screws	144,383	254,988	76.6
7	Machine-tool Parts & Components	103,569	209,021	101.8
8	Paper Making, Printing Machinery	123,239	194,755	58
9	Textile Machinery	102,617	173,183	68.8
10	Woodworking Machinery	96,337	163,168	69.4
11	Molds & Dies	141,068	152,353	8
12	Sewing Machines; Leather & Shoe-making Machines	86,509	145,508	68.2
13	Food & Packaging Machinery	95,999	119,861	24.9
	Others	1,159,779	1,495,314	28.9
	Total	3,457,425	4,850,416	40.3
Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry

Imports of Machinery into Taiwan by Category, Jan.-April 2010 Unit: US$ million
Rank	Produce Category	Jan.-April 2009	Jan.-April 2010	Change (%)
1	Machinery for ICs, Semiconductors	952,150	3,912,030	310.9
2	Special-purpose Machinery	457,173	612,494	34
3	Pumps, Fans, Compressors	220,911	370,655	67.8
4	Engines & Parts	220,824	259,045	17.3
5	Components and Parts	155,070	216,196	39.4
6	Equipment for Materials Treatment	296,808	204,204	-31.2
7	Valves & Parts	117,904	170,738	44.8
8	Machine Tools	108,710	166,000	52.7
9	Glassware-making Machinery	108,653	149,491	37.6
10	Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment	119,726	145,334	21.4
11	Handling Equipment	114,505	94,824	-17.2
12	Textile Machinery	50,635	90,796	79.3
13	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	54,796	72,922	33.1
	Others	868,635	1,357,768	56.3
	Total	3,846,500	7,822,497	103.4
Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry