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Monthly Manufacturing Performance - April 2008 |
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(I) Total Manufacturing Performance
- Manufacturing output for the first four months of 2008 increased by 8.0% over the same period in 2007. The three-month moving average index for April was 7.7% higher than a year ago. Output in April, however, dipped 5.7% compared to the same month last year. This was due to contractions in both the electronics and biomedical manufacturing clusters. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, output in April declined 16.2% from March.
(II) Performance by cluster
- The transport engineering cluster grew 7.7% in April 2008 compared to April last year. The marine & offshore engineering segment expanded by 15.1% as shipyards remained occupied fulfilling current contracts for construction of oil rigs and ship building, conversion and repair jobs. The aerospace segment grew 1.7% on the back of increased component manufacturing, whilst output of the land transport segment declined slightly (-0.3%) in April. Cumulative output of the transport engineering for the first four months of 2008 cluster grew 5.3% compared to the same period last year.
- The general manufacturing industries grew 4.2% in April. All segments in the cluster expanded. The printing industry grew 5.4% while the food, beverages and tobacco industries grew 6.9%. For the first four months of 2008, cumulative output was 0.8% higher than the same period in 2007.
- Output of the precision engineering cluster rose 2.4% year-on-year in April. The machinery & systems segment expanded 8.0% from April last year with higher output of switchgear and switchboard apparatus, industrial process and control equipment, and measuring devices. Output of the precision modules & components segment, however, dropped 1.9% in April. Cumulative output in the first four months of 2008 was 0.7% lower than in the same period last year.
- Output of the chemicals cluster remained the same in April this year, compared with the same month in the previous year. The petroleum segment grew 1.2% due to increased output of lubricating oils. The petrochemicals segment grew 0.8% with fewer maintenance shutdowns. The specialty chemicals segment grew 6.8% whilst the other chemicals segment contracted 23.8%. Cumulative output in the first four months of 2008 was 0.9% higher than in the same period in 2007.
- The electronics cluster contracted by 5.1% in April. Growth in the data storage (14.3%) and other electronic modules & components (10.5%) segments were offset by contractions in the semiconductors (-7.4%), computer peripherals (-3.7%) and infocomms & consumer electronics (-25.1%) segments. Cumulative output of the electronics cluster for the first four months of 2008 grew 2.3% over the previous year.
- The biomedical manufacturing cluster contracted by 24.5% in April. The pharmaceuticals segment shrank 27.9% due to different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients produced this April. The medical technology segment saw an increase in production capacity and expanded 21.7%. The cumulative output of the cluster for the first four months of 2008 was 29.6% higher compared to the same period in 2007.
- The Monthly Index is available from the Research & Statistics Unit of the Economic Development Board. For further information, please contact Miss Millie Lam by tel - 6832 6031 / fax – 6832 6493 / email milliel@edb.gov.sg.
- The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 26th June 2008.
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)
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