Taiwan's machinery exports up 23.1% in first 5 months

Taipei, July 28, 2004 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$4.902 billion worth of machinery product in the first five months of this year, up 23.1% from the corresponding period of last year, according to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

In terms of major export items, machine tools ranked first with exports of US$837 million in the first five months of this year, up 37% from the same period of last year. Pumps, compressors and fans stood at the second place with US$380 million, up 25%. Plastic and rubber processing machines ranked third with US$369 million, up 25%. Special-purpose machines took the fourth place with US$301 million, up 50%. The fifth place went to woodworking machines, valued at US$280 million, up 21%.

Other major export items, in descending orders, were valves with US$278 million, up 21%; textile machines with US$230 million, up 7%; molds and dies with US$228 million, up 8%; sewing machines with US$210 million, u p10%; bearings, gears and ball screws with US$170 million, up 20%; paper-making and printing machines with US$78 million, up 6%; and leather and shoe-making machines with US$50 million, down 7%.

In terms of major export outlets for Taiwan-made made machinery, Hong Kong and mainland China together ranked first by absorbing US$1.801 billion in the first five months of this year, up 19% from the corresponding period of last year and accounting for 36.7% of the island's total machinery exports. The U.S. ranked second with US$871 billion, up 27% and commanding 17.8% of the total. The third place went to Japan with US$263 million, up 7% and accounting for 5.4% of the total.

Thailand ranked fourth with US$225 million, up 35%, followed by Vietnam with US$157 million, up 9%; Malaysia with US$129 million, up 26%; Indonesia with US$98 million, up 21%. Other major export outlets included Turkey, Canada, South Korea, India, Britain, Singapore, Italy, Australia, Holland, the Philippines, Spain, France, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.

TAMI noted Taiwan imported US$6.539 billion worth of machinery in the first five months of this year, up 48% from the corresponding period of last year. Of major import items, special-purpose machinery for semiconductor and 3C (computer, communications and consumer electronics) industry ranked first with US$2.06 billion in the first five months of this year, up 40% from the same period of last year and accounting for 31.5% of the total imports.

Machine Tools ranked second with US$748 million, up 181% and commanding 11.4% of the total. The third place went to pumps, compressors and fans with US$372 million, up 27% and accounting for 5.7% of the total. Plastic and rubber processing machinery took he fourth place with US$289 million, up 85% and commanding 4.4%. Engines and machinery parts ranked fifth with US$267 million, up 37% and accounting for 4.1%. Valves stood at the sixth place with US$190 million, up 38% and accounting for 2.9%. Textile machinery ranked seventh with US$130 million, the same as the like period of last year and commanding for 2% of the total. TAMI said the imported machines are mainly used in the industries of opto-electronics, communications, information, and semiconductor.

TAMI noted Taiwan still relied on Japan and the U.S. for the supply of imported machinery in the first five months of this year. Japan ranked first with US$3.45 billion, up 42% from the same period of last year and commanding 52.9% of the total imports, followed by the U.S. with US$1.43 billion, up 105% and accounting for 21.5%; Germany with US$433 million, up 26% and commanding 6.6%.

Mainland China ranked fourth with US$319 million, up 64%. Other major import sources in the first five months of this year included South Korea, Switzerland, Italy, Britain, and France.