On a year-on-year basis, manufacturing output increased 10.5% in January 2011. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output grew 18.9%. On a three-month moving average basis, manufacturing output in January 2011 increased 18.8% compared to the same period in 2010. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output increased 15.4% in January 2011. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output increased 7.7%.

Output of the precision engineering cluster grew 41.0% year-on-year in January 2011, mainly due to a 86.4% gain in the machinery & systems segment. The machinery & systems segment continued to be driven by strong export demand for semiconductor related equipment and production from new plants. The precision modules and components segment also grew 3.5% with higher production of metal precision components.

Output of the electronics cluster increased 20.2% in January 2011 from the same period in 2010. Within the cluster, the infocomms & consumer electronics segment saw the highest output growth (110.4%), as a result of strong orders for computing products. The semiconductors and computer peripherals segments also recorded output gains of 21.6% and 18.0% respectively, while the rest of the segments registered decline.

The chemicals cluster's output grew 15.9% year-on-year in January 2011, with all segments recording higher output. The petroleum and petrochemical segments grew 21.6% and 14.8% in January respectively, due in part to lower output recorded in January 2010 when there were some maintenance shutdowns. Output of the specialties and other chemicals segments also increased 14.2% and 3.5% respectively.

The transport engineering cluster's output expanded 9.2% in January 2011 as gains in the land transport and aerospace segments exceeded the decline in the marine & offshore engineering segment. The land transport segment posted a gain of 24.9% with higher production of automotive parts and accessories. Improved demand in air travel had also benefitted the aerospace segment, with higher volume of maintenance and repair jobs from commercial airlines. Output of the marine & offshore engineering segment, on the other hand, fell 2.2%.

Output of the general manufacturing cluster grew 3.6% year-on-year in January 2011. The food, beverages & tobacco segment rose 11.9% with higher orders during the Chinese New Year season. Output of the printing segment increased 2.4% while the miscellaneous industries segment edged down 0.1%.

Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster was 8.9% lower in January 2011 year-on-year, mainly due to a contraction in the pharmaceuticals segment. On the contrary, the medical technology segment’s output registered a gain of 4.7%.

The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 25th March 2011.

Editors' Note: Updates on Monthly Manufacturing Output are available on http://www.news.gov.sg and http://www.sedb.com

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Ms Karen Lin 
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