(I)      Total Manufacturing Performance

1.                Manufacturing output in November 2008 declined 7.5% compared with the same month last year. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, output rose 6.2% in November over October, due to higher level of production in the biomedical manufacturing cluster. The three-month moving average year-on-year index for November fell 5.5% over the same period last year. Cumulative manufacturing output for the first eleven months of 2008 fell 3.3% compared with the same period last year.

(II)      Performance by cluster

2.               The biomedical manufacturing cluster expanded 14.9% in November compared to the same month last year. The pharmaceuticals segment grew 17.5% due to a change in the mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients produced. For the period of January to November 2008, cumulative output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster was 9.2% lower than in the same period last year.

3.               The transport engineering cluster grew 5.2% in November over the same month last year. Year-on-year growth was boosted by the aerospace segment, which expanded 8.3% due to deliveries on contracts secured earlier this year and relatively low level of production in November last year. The marine & offshore engineering segment grew 3.4% on the back of higher levels of ship and parts repair activities. Cumulative output of the cluster rose 6.9% for the first eleven months of 2008.

4.               Output of the general manufacturing industries dipped 1.7% in November compared with the same month last year. The food, beverages and tobacco industries grew 6.7%, while the printing segment shrank 13.4%. For the first eleven months of 2008, cumulative output of the general manufacturing industries increased 2.1%, compared with the same period last year.

5.               The precision engineering cluster shrank 19.1% year-on-year in November. Output of the machinery & systems segment decreased 17.3%, and the precision modules & components segment also shrank 20.7% in November compared to the same month last year. Cumulative output of the cluster was 6.1% lower in the first eleven months of 2008 compared with the same period last year.   

6.               The electronics cluster shrank 19.4% in November, compared with the same month last year. All segments had decreased production in November due to the fall in electronics demand worldwide. Cumulative output of the electronics cluster for January to November 2008 fell 3.7% compared to the same period last year.

7.              The chemicals cluster contracted 20.1% year-on-year in November. The petrochemicals segment recorded a decline of 31.6% due to a slowdown in export orders and maintenance shutdowns. There were also several temporary shutdowns in the specialties segment due to weak external demand, resulting in a drop in output of 27.9%. For the first eleven months of 2008, cumulative output of the chemicals cluster dipped 1.8% compared to the same period last year.

8.               The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 23^rd January 2009.

Editors’ Note: Updates on Monthly Manufacturing Output are available on

http://www.sprinter.gov.sg and http://www.sedb.com

For media enquiries, please contact Mr Alex Tan (Tel: 6832 6284 / Handphone: 9841 0392 / Email: alex_tan@edb.gov.sg)

For further information, please contact Ms Millie Lam (Tel: 6832 6031 / Handphone: 9740 7372 / Email: milliel@edb.gov.sg.