Total Manufacturing Performance

On a year-on-year basis, manufacturing output increased 26.1% in June 2010. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output grew 24.8%. On a three-month moving average basis, manufacturing output in June 2010 increased 44.5% compared to the same period last year. For the entire first half of 2010, manufacturing output expanded 41.6%. However, manufacturing output decreased 23.4% in June 2010 on a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output declined 1.8%.

Performance by cluster

Output of the electronics cluster increased 46.8% in June 2010 on a year-on-year basis. All clusters recorded higher output except the data storage segment. The semiconductors segment continued to record robust growth of 74.9% in June, bolstered by strong demand for cell phones, personal computers and consumer electronics products. However, the data storage segment declined 9.4% due to the ongoing relocation of production overseas that was announced previously. On a year-to-date basis, electronics output was 60.6% higher than that recorded for the same period last year.

Output of the precision engineering cluster expanded 32.5% year-on-year in June 2010. The machinery & systems segment grew 42.8%, on the back of robust orders for machine tool accessories, semiconductor related equipment and other special purpose machinery. Higher production of bearings, connectors and metal precision components resulted in growth of 22.4% in the precision modules and components segment.  For the first six months of 2010, output of the precision engineering cluster grew 37.0% compared to the corresponding period in 2009.

The biomedical manufacturing cluster’s output grew 29.8% year-on-year in June 2010. Output of the pharmaceuticals segment increased 30.8%, on the back of a different production mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients. In the first half of 2010, biomedical output grew 70.6%.

Output of the general manufacturing cluster increased 11.0% year-on-year in June 2010. The miscellaneous industries segment expanded 14.0% in June with higher production of batteries & accumulators, paper boxes & containers and signs & advertising displays. Output of the food, beverages & tobacco and printing segments were 8.9% and 4.9% higher than June last year. Cumulative output of the cluster in the first six months of 2010 rose 14.6% compared to the output in the same period last year.

The chemicals cluster’s output grew 7.4% year-on-year in June 2010. All segments except petroleum refining recorded output increases. The petrochemicals segment expanded 30.0%, attributed mainly to new production capacity and the low base last year. On the other hand, the petroleum segment declined 12.2% as some plants underwent maintenance shutdowns. On a year-to-date basis, output of the chemicals cluster was 16.9% higher than the same period in the previous year. 

The transport engineering cluster’s output declined 3.6% in June 2010 on a year-on-year basis. Within the cluster, the land transport segment expanded 41.3% with higher level of production of parts and accessories for vehicles. The aerospace segment grew 5.8% as improved air traffic resulted in more repair and maintenance jobs from commercial airlines. Output of the marine & offshore engineering segment, on the other hand, fell 17.0% with fewer ship conversion and repair jobs in the shipyards.  Cumulatively, output of the cluster contracted 11.9% in the first six months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 26th August 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)