Taiwan's Machinery Exports Up 6.9% in First 3 Quarters

Taipei, Dec. 8, 2005 (CENS)--Exports of Taiwan-made machinery amounted to US$9.778 billion in the first three quarters of this year, representing a growth of 6.9% over the US$9.15 billion posted in the corresponding period of last year, according to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

In terms of major export items within the machinery category, machine tools ranked first with an export value reaching US$1.946 billion in the first three quarters of this year, up 21% year-on-year. Second place went to plastics and rubber processing machinery with US$698.68 million, up 0.2%. Pumps, compressors, and fans ranked third with US$656.24 million, down 2%. Fourth place went to special-purpose machinery with US$561.29 million, down 1%. Valves and parts took fifth place with US$523.08 million, up 2%. Woodworking machinery was the sixth largest export item with US$509.23 million, down 2%.

Other major export items, in descending order, were molds and dies (US$509,237 million, up 4%); textile machinery (US$407,013 million, down 0.6%); sewing machines (US$384,786 million, up 0.5%); bearings, gears, and ball screws (US$371,182 million, up 16.1%); paper-making and printing machines (US$177,298 million, up 22.6%); and leather and shoe-making machines (US$78,377 million, down 2.3%).

As for major export outlets, Hong Kong and mainland China together ranked first by absorbing US$3.322 billion worth of Taiwan-made machinery in the first nine months of this year, down 2% year-on-year and accounting for 34% of the total exports. The second place went to the U.S. with US$1.708 billion, up 5% and accounting for 17.5%. Japan stood at the third place with US$563.83 million, up 18% and accounting for 5.8%.

Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany, Turkey, Canada, the U.K., South Korea, India, Italy, Singapore, Australia, Holland, Spain, the Philippines, France, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Finland, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.

The TAMI tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$14.235 billion worth of machinery in the first nine months of this year, up 11.9% from the same period of last year.

In terms of the value of the major imported machinery categories, special-purpose machines ranked first with US$4.92 billion, up 18% and accounting for 34.6% of the total imports. These imported machines were mainly employed in the semiconductor and 3C (computer, communications, consumer electronics) industries. Second place went to machine tools with US$1.21 billion, down 13% and accounting for 8.5%. Pumps, compressors and fans took third place with US$826.93 million, up 14% and accounting for 5.8%. Fourth place went to engines and parts with US$678.87 million, up 42% and accounting for 4.8%. Valves and parts ranked fifth with US$397.36 million, up 10% and accounting for 2.8%. Plastics and rubber processing machines ranked sixth with US$230.03 million, down 52% and accounting for 1.6%. Textile machinery was the seventh largest import item with US$225.88 million, down 91% and accounting for 1.6%.

TAMI vice president Wang Cheng-ching noted Taiwan still relies on Japan and the U.S. for advanced machinery. Japan was the largest import source, selling US$7.884 billion worth of machinery to Taiwan in the first nine months of this year, up 16% and accounting for 55.4% of the total imports. The U.S. ranked second with US$2.634 billion, down 0.1% and accounting for 18.5%. Germany took third place with US$934.91 million, up 6% and accounting for 6.6%.

Other major import sources, in descending order, were Hong Kong and mainland China together, South Korea, Switzerland, Italy, the U.K., and France.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machinery Jan.-Sept. 2005 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Rank	Products	Jan.-Sept. 2004	Jan.-Sept. 2005	Change (%)
1	Machine Tools	1,603,129	1,946,048	21.4
2	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	697,454	698,683	0.2
3	Pumps, Compressors, Fans	670,523	656,241	-2.1
4	Special-Purpose Machinery	571,153	561,297	-1.7
5	Valves & Parts	515,303	523,082	1.5
6	Woodworking Machinery	519,911	509,237	-2.1
7	Molds & Dies	430,413	447,493	4
8	Textile Machinery	409,269	407,013	-0.6
9	Sewing Machines	382,808	384,786	0.5
10	Bearings, Gears, Ball Screws	319,733	371,182	16.1
11	Paper-making, Printing Machines	144,664	177,298	22.6
12	Leather & Shoe-Making Machines	80,221	78,377	-2.3
	Others	2,805,824	3,018,112	7.6
	Total	9,150,405	9,778,849	6.9
Source: Customs-cleared statistics compiled by Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry

Imports of General Machinery by Taiwan Jan.-Sept. 2005 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Rank	Products	Jan.-Sept. 2004	Jan.-Sept. 2005	Change (%)
1	Special-Purpose Machinery	4,157,922	4,920,549	18.3
2	Machine Tools	1,384,398	1,210,504	-12.6
3	Pumps, Fans, Compressors	724,505	826,936	14.1
4	Engines & Parts	478,314	678,878	41.9
5	Valves & Parts	359,618	397,361	10.5
6	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	480,913	230,036	-52.2
7	Textile Machinery	248,810	225,889	-9.2
	Others	4,882,109	5,745,202	17.7
	Total	12,716,589	14,235,355	11.9
Source: Customs-cleared statistics compiled by Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry