Taiwan's machinery exports up 22% in first 11 months of 2004

Taipei, Jan. 31, 2005 (CENS)--Taiwan's machinery exports amounted to US$11.288 billion in the first 11 months of 2004, jumping 22% from the corresponding period of 2003, according to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

In terms of exports of major product categories, machine tools ranked first with exports amounting to US$2.026 billion in the first 11 months of last year, up 35% year-on-year. Plastic and rubber processing machinery ranked second with exports of US$843.05 million, up 23% annually. Compressor, pump and fans ranked third with US$813.01 million, up 17%. The fourth place went to special-purpose machinery with US$764.8 million, up 50%. Woodworking machinery took the fifth place with US$658.82 million, up 18%. Valve ranked sixth with US$627.84 million, up 22%.

Other major export items, in descending order, were molds and dies with US$525.58 million; textile machinery with US$498.59 million; sewing machines with US$469.21 million; bearing, gear and ball screw with US$397.54 million; paper-making and printing machinery, US$179.59 million; and leather and shoemaking machines, US$97.29 million.

In respect of top export outlets for Taiwan-made machinery, mainland China and Hong Kong together ranked first by absorbing US$4.12 billion in the first 11 months of last year, up 17% from the like period of last year and commanding 36.5% of the total exports. The U.S. ranked second with US$2.027 billion, up 30% annually and accounting for 18% of the total exports. The third place went to Japan with US$589.97 million, up 13% and with a 5.2% share of the total.

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

The TAMI statistics also showed Taiwan imported US$16.51 billion worth of machinery in the first 11 months of last year, representing a whopping 54.9% year-on-year growth.

Of the major import items, special-purpose machines ranked first with import value reaching US$5.597 billion in the first 11months of last year, up 33.9% from the corresponding period of the previous year and accounting for 54.9% of the total imports. Machine tool ranked second with US$1.776 billion, jumping 146% annually and accounting for 10.8% of the total imports; The third place went to compressor, pump, and fan with US$892.13 million, up 36% and taking up 5.4%. Engine and related components ranked fourth with US$657.68 million, up 42% and accounting for 4% of the total imports. Plastic and rubber processing machines stood at the fifth place with US$556.21 million, up 17% and accounting for 3.4%.

Other major import items, in descending order, were valve, textile machinery. TAMI vice president Wang Cheng-ching noted these imported machines were mainly adopted by optoelectronics, communications, information-technology products, and semiconductor industries.

In terms of major import sources, Japan ranked first by exporting US$9.048 billion worth of machinery to Taiwan in the first 11 months of last year, up 51% year-on-year and accounting for 54.6% of the total imports. The U.S. ranked second with US$3.419 billion, a whopping 91% rise annually and taking up 20.7% of the total imports. The third place went to Germany with US$1.189 billion, up 42% and commanding 6.7%.

Other major import sources, in descending order, were mainland China, South Korea, Switzerland, Britain, Italy, and France.

Wang estimated annual export growth of Taiwan-made machinery might stand at between 22% and 25% and that for production value is expected to reach 23%, last year.