Taiwan Machine-tool Industry's Exports Up 24.5% in First Two Months

Taipei, May 4, 2012 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$652.54 million of machine tools in the first two months of 2012, up 24.5% from a year earlier, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Exports of metal-cutting machine tools totaled US$545.52 million, up 29.6% year-on-year, and that of metal-forming machine tools came to US$107.01 million, up 3.9%.

China and Hong Kong together led as export destination by absorbing US$206.27 million of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first two months, down 2.1% from a year earlier and accounting for 31.6% of the total exports, followed by the U.S. with US$70.76 million, up 83.5% and commanding 10.8%, then Thailand with US$45.89 million, up a whopping 115.3% and commanding 7%.

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

The TMTF's tallies also show Taiwan imported US$89.69 million of machine tools in the first two months of 2012, down 33.6% year-on-year.

Imports of metal-cutting machine tools amounted to US$77.24 million, down 35.5% from a year earlier and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$12.44 million, down 19.1%.

Japan was the largest import supplier by selling US$54.16 million of machine tools to Taiwan in the first two months, down 38.7% year-on-year and accounting for 60.4% of the total imports, followed by Germany with US$9.82 million, up 48% and commanding 10.9%, then China and Hong Kong with US$9.25 million, up 50.7% and commanding 10.3%.

Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools in Jan.-Feb. 2012 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Feb. 2011	Jan.-Feb. 2012	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	25,840	24,650	-4.6
Machining Centers	176,690	227,433	28.7
Lathes	103,764	152,378	46.9
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	54,768	57,791	5.5
Grinding Machines	33,573	49,459	47.3
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	26,391	33,810	28.1
Presses and Shearing Machines	71,344	85,157	19.4
Other Metal-forming Machines	31,678	21,862	-31
Total	524,048	652,540	24.5
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation

Imports of Machine Tools into Taiwan in Jan.-Feb. 2012 by Products Unit: US$1,000
Products	Jan.-Feb. 2011	Jan.-Feb. 2012	Annual Change (%)
EDM, Laser-cutting Machines	50,868	40,279	-20.8
Machining Centers	19,546	6,773	-65.3
Lathes	13,718	7,937	-42.1
Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines	2,273	5,510	142.4
Grinding Machines	17,590	12,931	-26.5
Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines	15,776	3,815	-75.8
Presses and Shearing Machines	11,025	10,657	-3.3
Other Metal-forming Machines	4,355	1,789	-58.9
Total	135,151	89,691	-33.6
Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation