Taiwan's Machine Tool Exports Surge 63.3% Year-on-Year in Q1

Taipei, June 8, 2011 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$870 million wroth of machine tools in the first quarter of this year, up a whopping 63.3% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Of the total, the first-quarter exports of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$703.41 million, up 69.2% year-on-year and that of metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$166.59 million, up 42.4%.

In terms of specific items, exports for machining centers amounted to US$295.651 million in the first quarter, up 83.1% year-on-year. Exports for lathes and grinding machines came to US$174.915 million and US$50.073 million, up 75.2% and 61.8% year-on-year respectively.

In respect of major export outlets, China and Hong Kong together ranked first by absorbing US$369.41 million worth of machine tools from Taiwan in the first quarter, up 58.2% from a year earlier and accounting for 42.5% of the total exports. The second place went to the U.S. with US$61.06 million, up 141.6% and commanding 7%. Turkey came third with US$41.14 million, up 132.8% and accounting for 4.7%.

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

The TMTF's tallies also show Taiwan imported US$206.91 million worth of machine tools in the first quarter of this year, up 73.3% year-on-year. Of this, imports of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$177.21 million, up 74.3% year-on-year and that of metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$29.7 million, up 67.4%.

Japan was the largest import source by selling US$136.46 million worth of machine tools to Taiwan in the first quarter, up 96.4% year-on-year. Switzerland ranked second with US$18.98 million, up 604.2% and commanding 9.2%. Germany came third with US$12.8 million, down 2.7% and accounting for 6.2%.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools in Jan.-March 2011 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-March 2010	Jan.-March 2011	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	26,991	45,823	69.8
Machining Centers	161,433	295,651	83.1
Lathes	99,765	174,815	75.2
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	62,948	93,210	48.1
Grinding Machines	30,938	50,073	61.8
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	33,640	43,840	30.3
Presses and Shearing Machines	88,019	123,042	39.8
Other Metal-forming Machines	29,009	43,553	50.1
Total	532,743	870,007	63.3
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Imports of Machine Tools from Taiwan in Jan.-March 2011 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-March 2010	Jan.-March 2011	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	48,389	74,836	54.7
Machining Centers	6,642	33,740	408
Lathes	16,853	21,380	26.9
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	8,394	4,248	-49.4
Grinding Machines	11,401	23,165	103.2
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	9,993	19,843	98.6
Presses and Shearing Machines	16,656	23,523	41.2
Other Metal-forming Machines	1,090	6,177	466.7
Total	119,418	206,912	73.3
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation