Manufacturing output increased by 5.9% in February 2010 on a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output increased 3.8%. On a year-on-year basis, manufacturing output increased 19.1% in February 2010. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output increased 21.4%. On a three-month moving average basis, total manufacturing output in February 2010 increased 23.8% compared to the corresponding period last year.

Output of the electronics cluster grew 56.5% in February 2010 on a year-on-year basis. Within the cluster, the semiconductor segment continued to perform strongly, growing by 96.7% in February on the back of higher export demand, coupled with the low base effect in the same period last year. The other electronic modules & components and data storage segments grew 54.2% and 11.0% respectively. For the first two months of 2010, cumulative output of the electronics cluster was 68.8% higher than the same period last year.

Output of the precision engineering cluster rose 20.1% year-on-year in February 2010. The precision modules & components segment expanded 25.7% with higher level of production of metal precision components and plastic precision engineering parts. The higher output in the machinery & systems segment was led by increased demand for mechanical engineering works, while the strong performance in the semiconductor industry also boosted demand for related machineries. For the first two months of 2010, the precision engineering cluster grew 28.1% compared to the corresponding period in 2009.

Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster increased 14.8% year-on-year in February. Within the cluster, the pharmaceuticals segment grew 15.6% with higher level of production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Output of the medical technology segment edged up 0.8% to meet export orders for surgical and medical instruments. Cumulatively, output of the cluster grew 27.9% in the first two months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

The chemicals cluster’s output expanded 10.7% year-on-year in February 2010. All segments except petroleum refining recorded output growth. The petrochemicals and specialties segments grew 41.9% and 25.4% respectively. This was due mainly to the low base in the same period last year when demand was weak. Cumulative output of the chemicals cluster for the first two months of 2010 was 14.6% higher than the same period in the previous year. 

Output of the general manufacturing industries increased 4.1% year-on-year in February 2010. The miscellaneous industries and food, beverages & tobacco segments recorded growth of 10.1% and 3.1% respectively while the printing segment declined 8.2%. Cumulative output of the cluster in the first two months of February 2010 increased 11.2% from the same period last year.

The transport engineering cluster’s output declined 17.7% in February, with all segments within the cluster registering contraction. Output of the aerospace segment dipped 9.6% with lower level of activities in maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft. The marine & offshore engineering segment fell 24.1% in February due to fewer ship repair jobs and lower percentage of completion in projects involving construction of oil rigs and ships. The cluster’s output for the first two months of 2010 was 14.8% lower compared to the same period in 2009.

The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 26th April 2010.

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

For media enquiries, please contact 
Ms Donna Skinner 
(Tel: 68326182/ Handphone: 96520492/ Email: donna_skinner@edb.gov.sg)

For further information, please contact 
Mr Chong Tse Ming 
(Tel 68326677/ Handphone: 91547959/ Email quin_chong@edb.gov.sg)