Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools Grow 68.2% in First Two Months

Taipei, May 5, 2011 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$524.04 million wroth of machine tools in the first two months of this year, up a whopping 68.2% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

The tallies showed that exports of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$421.02 million, up 74.2% year-on-year and those of metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$130.1 million, up 47.4%.

In the first two months of this year, the year-on-year export growth was 92% for machining center, 72% for lathes, 64.2% for grinding machines, 70.6% for drilling, boring and milling machines, 42.1% for presses and shearing machines, 61.1% for other metal-forming machines.

In terms of major export outlets, China and Hong Kong together ranked first by absorbing US$210.7 million worth of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first two months of this year, up 71.9% year-on-year and accounting for 40.2% of the total exports. The second place went to the U.S. with US$38.56 million, up 120.4% and commanding 7.4%. Turkey ranked third with US$25.83 million, up 156.7% and accounting for 4.9%.

Other major export outlets, in descending order, were India, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Germany, South Korea, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Japan, United Kingdom and Singapore.

The TMTF's tallies also show Taiwan imported US$135.15 million worth of machine tools in the first two months of this year, up 75.9% year-on-year. The import value of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$119.77 million, up 77% and that of metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$15.38 million, up 67.9%.

In terms of major import sources, Japan ranked first by selling US$88.37 million wroth of machine tools to Taiwan in the first two months of this year, up 85.9% year-on-year. Switzerland came second with US$16.7 million, up a whopping 1,198.3% and accounting for 12.4%. Germany ranked third with US$6.63 million, up 45.2% and commanding 4.9%.

Taiwan's Exports of Machine Tools in Jan.-Feb. 2011 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Feb. 2010	Jan.-Feb. 2011	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	16,433	25,840	57.2
Machining Centers	92,015	176,690	92
Lathes	60,311	103,764	72
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	32,102	54,768	70.6
Grinding Machines	20,445	33,573	64.2
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	20,420	26,391	29.2
Presses and Shearing Machines	50,216	71,344	42.1
Other Metal-forming Machines	19,659	31,670	61.1
Total	311,601	524,040	68.2
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Taiwan's Imports of Machine Tools by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Feb. 2010	Jan.-Feb. 2011	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	35,726	50,868	42.4
Machining Centers	4,224	19,546	362.7
Lathes	8,258	13,718	66.1
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	6,067	2,273	-62.5
Grinding Machines	5,669	17,590	210.3
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	7,730	15,776	104.1
Presses and Shearing Machines	8,203	11,025	34.4
Other Metal-forming Machines	959	4,355	354.1
Total	76,836	135,151	75.9
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation