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Taiwan Machinery Industry Sees Exports Grow 26.5% in First 10 Months of 2011

2012/01/09 | By Ben Shen

Taipei, Jan. 9, 2012 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$17.684 billion worth of machinery in the first 10 months of 2011, up 26.5% from a year earlier, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

The sector of machine tools ranked first with export value reaching US$3.294 billion in the first 10 months of 2011, up 39.1% year-on-year. The second place went to the sector of plastic and rubber processing machinery with US$1.126 billion, up 17.8%. The sector of bearings, gears and ball screws ranked third with US$1.113 billion, up 48.7%.

Other major export items, in descending orders, were special-purpose machinery; pumps, compressors and fans; valves and parts; machine-tool components; paper making and printing machinery; textile machinery; woodworking machinery; sewing, leather and shoemaking machinery; molds and dies; and food processing and packaging machinery.

In terms of major export outlets, China and Hong Kong together ranked first by absorbing US$6.107 billion worth of Taiwan-made machinery in the first 10 months of 2011, up 28.7% year-on-year and accounting for 34.5% of the total exports. The U.S. came second with US$2.479 billion, up 21.2% and commanding 14%. Japan ranked third with US$1.01 billion, up 37.5% and commanding 5.7%.

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

The TAMI's tallies also show Taiwan imported US$21.73 billion worth of machinery in the first 10 months of 2011, down 0.9% year-on-year.

The largest import product category went to the sector of machinery for IC (integrated circuit) and semiconductor with import value reaching US$9.255 billion in the first 10 months of 2011, down 12.6% year-on-year and commanding a whopping 42.6% of the total imports. The second place went to the sector of pumps, compressors and fans with US$1.18 billion, up 18.6% and accounting for 5.4%. The sector of special-purpose machines stood at third with US$1.156 billion, down 39.7% and accounting for 5.3%.

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

Taiwan still relied on imported machinery from Japan, the U.S., China and Germany. Japan was the largest import source by selling US$7.839 billion worth of machinery to Taiwan in the first 10 months of 2011, down 11.7% year-on-year and accounting for 36.1% of the total imports. The second place went to the U.S. with US$3.951 billion, down 16.6% and commanding 18.2%. China and Hong Kong together ranked third with US$2.186 billion, up 14.3% and commanding 10.1%.

Other major import sources, in descending order, were Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom, and France.

TAMI president C.C. Wang predicted Taiwan's overall machinery exports will grow 20% up to 25% year-on-year to reach over US$20 billion in 2011. The TAMI said many domestic machinery manufacturers have seen production lines fully packed and begun receiving orders for shipping in the first quarter of 2012.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machinery by Category, Jan.-Oct. 2011

Unit: US$ million

Rank

Product Category

January 2010

January 2011

Change (%)

1

Machine Tools

2,367,775

3,294,223

39.1

2

Plastics & Rubber Machinery

956,951

1,126,972

17.8

3

Bearings, Gears, Ball Screws

748,562

1,113,278

48.7

4

Special-purpose Machinery

915,880

1,113,269

21.6

5

Pumps, Compressors, Fans

797,626

986,433

23.7

6

Valves & Parts

756,735

945,835

25

7

Machine-tool Parts & Components

627,321

854,283

36.2

8

Paper Making, Printing Machinery

619,114

764,691

23.5

9

Textile Machinery

472,049

521,132

10.4

10

Woodworking Machinery

468,748

458,466

-2.2

11

Sewing Machines; Leather & Shoe-making Machines

412,378

447,815

8.6

12

Molds & Dies

372,912

432,694

16

13

Food & Packaging Machinery

 339,653

 389,005

14.5

 

Others

4,121,062

5,236,490

27.1

 

Total

13,976,766

17,684,000

26.5

Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry

Imports of Machinery into Taiwan by Category, Jan.-Oct. 2011
Unit: US$ million

Rank

Produce Category

January 2010

January 2011

Change (%)

1

Machinery for ICs, Semiconductors

10,594,555

9,255,057

-12.6

2

Pumps, Fans, Compressors

995,344

1,180,274

18.6

3

Special-purpose Machinery

1,917,934

 1,156,572

-39.7

4

Engines & Parts

756,017

 919,123

21.6

5

Components and Parts

632,902

876,751

38.5

6

Equipment for Materials Treatment

733,868

718,482

-2.1

7

Machine Tools

582,545

700,930

20.3

8

Valves & Parts

518,885

672,849

29.7

9

Glassware-making Machinery

422,473

566,532

34.1

10

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment

388,158

472,905

21.8

11

Textile Machinery

271,619

393,587

44.9

12

Plastics & Rubber Machinery

243,666

355,652

46

13

Handling Equipment

483,383

323,722

-33

 

Others

3,389,169

4,139,836

22.1

 

Total

21,930,518

21,732,272

-0.9

Source: Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry