Taipei, Feb. 6, 2010 (CENS)--Taiwan exported US$1.568 billion of machine tools in the first 11 months of 2009, down 55.1% year-on-year, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF). Exports for metal-cutting machine tools came to US$1.192 billion, down 57.1% and that for metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$375.84 million, down 47.1%.
Exports of machining centers declined by 63% year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2009, lathes (down 55.7%); grinding machines (down 56.2%); drilling, boring and milling machines (down 47.4%); presses and shearing machines (down 49.4%); other metal-forming machines (down 37.7%).
Hong Kong and China together ranked first by absorbing US$581.18 million of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first 11 months of 2009, down 44.2% year-on-year and accounting for 37.1% of the total exports. The USA was second at US$116.66 million, down 62.9% and commanding 7.4%. Germany was third with US$71.09 million, down 65.6% and accounting for 4.5%.
Other major export outlets, in descending order, were Thailand, Brazil, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea, United Kingdom, Japan, Indonesia, and Turkey.
The TMTF`s tallies also showed Taiwan imported US$305.58 million of machine tools in the first 11 months of 2009, down 79.3% year-on-year. The imports of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$244.71 million, down 82.3% and that for metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$60.87 million, down 34.6%.
TMTF attributed the declining import to sagging demand for machine tools by domestic high-tech firms. The import value of non-conventional machine tools was down 91.8% year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2009; machining centers (down 53.7%); lathes (down 52.3%); drilling, boring and milling machines (down 57.7%); and grinding machines (down 42.2%).
Japan was the largest supplier by selling US$146.63 million of machine tools to Taiwan in the first 11 months of 2009, down 83.7% year-on-year and accounting for 48% of the total imports. Germany was second at US$43.13 million, down 50.8% and commanding 14.1%. Hong Kong and China ranked third with US$21.61 million, down 43% and commanding 7.1%.
Exports of Taiwan-made Machine Tools (Jan.-Nov. 2009)
Unit: US$1,000 |
| Products | Jan.-Nov. 2008 | Jan.-Nov. 2009 | Annual Change (%) |
| EDM, Laser-cutting Machines | 145,357 | 69,332 | -52.3 |
| Machining Centers | 1,131,456 | 418,150 | -63 |
| Lathes | 802,891 | 355,549 | -55.7 |
| Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines | 344,869 | 181,533 | -47.4 |
| Grinding Machines | 180,060 | 78,940 | -56.2 |
| Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines | 175,140 | 89,217 | -49.1 |
| Presses and Shearing Machines | 569,552 | 288,044 | -49.4 |
| Other Metal-forming Machines | 140,924 | 87,796 | -37.7 |
| Total | 3,490,249 | 1,568,561 | -55.1 |
| Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation |
Imports of Machine Tools into Taiwan (Jan.-Nov. 2009)
Unit: US$1,000 |
| Products | Jan.-Nov. 2008 | Jan.-Nov. 2009 | Annual Change (%) |
| EDM, Laser-cutting Machines | 1,089,942 | 89,759 | -91.8 |
| Machining Centers | 50,871 | 23,552 | -53.7 |
| Lathes | 77,229 | 36,864 | -52.3 |
| Drilling, Boring, Milling Machines | 38,596 | 16,326 | -57.7 |
| Grinding Machines | 88,499 | 51,120 | -42.2 |
| Shaping, Sawing, Gearing Machines | 35,488 | 27,090 | -23.7 |
| Presses and Shearing Machines | 79,255 | 52,527 | -33.7 |
| Other Metal-forming Machines | 13,819 | 8,347 | -39.6 |
| Total | 1,473,699 | 305,585 | -79.3 |
| Source: Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation |
(by Ben Shen)
