The nation’s manufacturing production value grew 6.43 percent year-on-year to NT$3.32 trillion (US$110.3 billion) last quarter, the highest in two years, amid a stable global economic recovery, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.
On a quarterly basis, production value increased 4.74 percent from NT$3.17 billion, the latest government statistics showed.
In the first three quarters of this year, total production value expanded 6.79 percent to NT$9.66 trillion from the same period last year.
The increase is attributed to double-digit percentage growth in the output of chemical materials and basic metals on recent ascending trends in oil, steel and copper foil prices, a ministry statement said.
The production value of chemical materials increased 10.15 percent on an annual basis to NT$424.7 billion last quarter, while basic metals saw output gain 14.58 percent to NT$329.3 billion, the ministry said.
The production value of the machinery industry rose 11.68 percent year-on-year to NT$16.72 billion, boosted by a growing need for key components including linear guideways and ball screws, as well as some parts used in semiconductor equipment, it said.
Production value of the automobile industry grew 6.5 percent to NT$92.9 billion, aided by new model launches and robust demand from the US and Chinese markets, while output of electronic components gained 3.6 percent to NT$962 billion, bolstered by the expanded production of TFT-LCD panels and color filters.
However, output of computer, electronics and optical products posted an annual decline of 3.79 percent to NT$161.3 billion last quarter, mainly because of intensified global competition and component shortages, the ministry said.
The undersupply in components has led some manufacturers to reduce production capacity of solid-state storage devices and flash drives, the ministry said.
The ministry said it has an optimistic outlook for local manufacturers this quarter, as Taiwanese electronic component suppliers and auto parts makers have entered their traditional peak season. The ministry declined to give a detailed forecast.
Meanwhile, the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (台灣機械公會) yesterday said production value for the machinery industry is forecast to exceed NT$1 trillion for the first time this year, compared with last year’s NT$990 billion.
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