Taiwan Machinery Exports Up 35.8% Year-on-year in Q1

Taipei, June 7, 2011 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$4.815 billion worth of machinery in the first quarter of this year, up 35.8% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

In terms of specific items, the sector of machine tools ranked first with export value reaching US$870 million in the first quarter of this year, up 63.3% from a year earlier. The second place went to the sector of plastics and rubber processing machinery with US$342.07 million, up 50.4%. The sector of special-purpose machinery stood at third place with US$297.9 million, up 35.6%.

Other major export items in the first quarter, in descending order, were the sectors of bearings, gears and ball screws; pumps, compressors and fans; valves and parts; machine-tool parts and components; paper-making and printing machines; textile machinery; woodworking machinery; sewing machines and leather and shoe-making machines; molds and dies; and food and packaging machines.

China was the largest export destination for Taiwan-made machinery by absorbing US$1.676 billion worth of the products in the first quarter of this year, up 56% year-on-year and accounting for 34.8% of the total exports. The U.S. ranked second with US$696.37 million, up 13.3% and commanding 14.5%. Japan came third with US$269.48 million, up 33.8% and accounting for 5.6%.

Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Thailand, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Germany, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey, Brazil, Singapore, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, and Russia.

The TAMI's tallies also show Taiwan imported US$7.063 billion worth of machinery in the first quarter of this year, up 23.8% from a year earlier. Of this, the sector of machinery for ICs and semiconductors ranked first with US$3.482 billion, up 23.9% year-on-year and accounting for 49.3% of the total imports. The second place went to the sector of special-purpose machinery with US$373.47 million, down 12.8% and commanding 5.3%. The sector of pumps, compressors and fans stood at third place with US$307.9 million, up 12.4% and accounting for 4.4%.

Other major import items, in descending order, were the sectors of engines and parts; machinery components; equipment for materials treatment; machine tools, valves and parts; glassware-making machinery; air-conditioning equipment; textile machinery; material-handling equipment; and plastics and rubber machinery.

In terms of major import sources, Japan ranked first by selling US$2.568 billion worth of machinery to Taiwan in the first quarter of this year, up 13.3% year-on-year and accounting for 36.4% of the total imports. The U.S. came second with US$1.5 billion, up 14.1% and commanding 21.2%. Germany ranked third with US$591.74 million, up 47.9% and accounting for 8.4%.

Other major import sources, in descending order, were China and Hong Kong together, South Korea, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom and France.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machinery by Product Sector, Jan.-March 2011 Unit: US$ million
Rank	Product Sector	Jan.-March 2010	Jan.-March 2011	Annual Change (%)
1	Machine Tools	532,743	870.007	63.3
2	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	227,503	342,074	50.4
3	Special-purpose Machinery	219,674	297,905	35.6
4	Bearings, Gears, Ball Screws	189,432	284,925	50.4
5	Pumps, Compressors, Fans	2-04,246	269,685	32
6	Valves & Parts	192,024	252,682	31.6
7	Machine-tool Parts & Components	149,566	234,317	56.7
8	Paper Making, Printing Machinery	137,680	218,358	58.6
9	Textile Machinery	125,626	173,572	38.2
10	Woodworking Machinery	118,168	133,736	13.2
11	Sewing Machines; Leather & Shoe-making Machines	104,137	131,997	26.8
12	Molds & Dies	116,343	129,211	11.1
13	Food & Packaging Machinery	91,464	103,034	12.6
	Others	1,136,899	1,373,860	20.8
	Total	3,545,505	4,815,363	35.8
Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry

Imports of Machinery into Taiwan by Sector, Jan.-March 2011 Unit: US$ million
Rank	Produce Category	Jan.-March 2010	Jan.-March 2011	Annual Change (%)
1	Machinery for ICs, Semiconductors	2,811,283	3,482,715	23.9
2	Special-purpose Machinery	428,527	373,470	-12.8
3	Pumps, Fans, Compressors	273,834	307,906	12.4
4	Engines & Parts	201,193	282,401	40.4
5	Components and Parts	161,257	231,288	43.4
6	Equipment for Materials Treatment	163,816	224,840	37.3
7	Machine Tools	119,418	206,912	73.3
8	Valves & Parts	126,532	185,351	46.5
9	Glassware-making Machinery	117,132	157,657	34.6
10	Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment	101,837	131,718	29.3
11	Textile Machinery	67,488	102,676	52.1
12	Handling Equipment	132,934	82,748	-37.8
13	Plastics & Rubber Machinery	50,138	69,094	37.8
	Others	950,150	1,224,668	28.9
	Total	5,705,539	7,063,444	23.8
Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry