Manufacturing output decreased 1.5% in March 2010 on a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output rose 0.1%. On a year-on-year basis, manufacturing output increased 43.0% in March 2010. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output grew 36.2%. On a three-month moving average basis, total manufacturing output in March 2010 increased 32.9% compared to the corresponding period last year.

The electronics cluster’s output rose 73.8% in March 2010 on a year-on-year basis. All segments within the electronics cluster registered higher output growth due to increased export demand and the low base last year when the global economic environment was weak. The cluster’s strong performance was led by the semiconductors and data storage segments, which grew 96.6% and 64.1% respectively. For the first three months of 2010, cumulative output of the electronics cluster was 70.2% higher than the same period last year.

Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster expanded 65.1% year-on-year in March 2010. The pharmaceuticals segment recorded robust growth of 69.9% with higher level of production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Output of the medical technology segment climbed 18.8% on the back of higher demand for medical supplies and surgical instruments. Cumulatively, output of the cluster grew 37.3% in the first three months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

Output of the precision engineering cluster rose 40.6% in March 2010 compared to the same period last year. Higher demand for special purpose machinery such as semiconductor equipment drove the output of the machinery & systems segment up by 41.1%. The precision modules & components segment also grew strongly by 40.2% with higher production of metal precision components and metal stampings.  For the first three months of 2010, the precision engineering cluster grew 32.1% compared to the corresponding period in 2009.

Output of the general manufacturing industries increased 24.5% year-on-year in March 2010. The miscellaneous industries segment expanded 36.2% with higher production of structural metal products, furniture and fixtures. The printing segment also rose 16.7% on the back of higher demand in commercial printing, including books and periodicals. Cumulative output of the cluster in the first three months of 2010 increased 15.9% from the same period last year.

The chemicals cluster’s output increased 22.6% year-on-year in March 2010. The cluster’s growth was bolstered by the strong performance in the petrochemicals, specialties and other chemicals segments, due in part to the low base effect last year. Refineries’ throughput also registered a gain of 1.9% after showing contraction in the past months as refining margins showed signs of improvement. Cumulative output of the chemicals cluster for the first three months of 2010 was 17.3% higher than the same period in the previous year. 

The transport engineering cluster’s output declined 13.5% in March 2010. The land transport segment rose 9.6%, but declines in the aerospace and marine & offshore engineering segments weighed the result down. Both the aerospace and marine & offshore engineering segments saw lower level of activities compared to the same period a year ago. Cumulatively, output of the cluster contracted 14.2% in the first three months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 26th May 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 
Mr Alex Tan 
(Tel: 68326284/ Handphone: 98410392 / Email: alex_tan@edb.gov.sg)

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