Manufacturing output up 24.4% in October 2011

Performance by cluster
Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster expanded 112.3% in October 2011 on a year-on-year basis. The pharmaceuticals segment continued to be the main growth driver to the cluster as output increased 117.5% on the back of a different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Output of the medical technology segment also rose 15.2% in October 2011. On a year-to-date basis, the biomedical output increased by 30.0% compared to the same period a year ago.

Output of the transport engineering cluster rose 15.3% year-on-year in October 2011. Within the cluster, the marine & offshore engineering segment’s output expanded by 19.3%, with a higher level of oil rigs and shipbuilding activities. The aerospace segment also recorded a 15.7% increase in output with higher demand for repair jobs from commercial airlines in the Asia Pacific region. Cumulatively, output of the cluster grew 6.3% in the first ten months of 2011, compared to the same period last year.

The output of the precision engineering cluster declined 5.5% year-on-year in October 2011. The machinery & systems segment increased 0.6% while the precision modules & components segment declined 13.8%, as a result of lower output in metal precision components, connectors, metal stamping work, as well as dies, moulds, jigs and other tools. On a year-to-date basis, the output of the precision engineering cluster was 17.9% higher than the same period a year ago.

The general manufacturing cluster's output declined by 9.8% year-on-year in October 2011. Output of the food, beverages & tobacco segment grew 2.0% while the printing and miscellaneous industries segments declined by 9.1% and 15.0% respectively. On a year-to-date basis, output of the cluster was 3.2% lower, compared to the same period last year.

The chemicals cluster's output declined 10.4% year-on-year in October 2011. The specialties segment continued to record higher output due to the new production capacities that started earlier this year. The petrochemicals and petroleum segments, on the other hand, declined by 17.9% and 21.6% respectively in October due to plant shutdowns. Cumulatively, output of the chemicals cluster grew 5.3% from January to October 2011, compared to the same period a year ago.

Output of the electronics cluster was 20.3% lower in October 2011 compared to the same period last year. All segments within the cluster continued to record lower output on the back of shrinking demand for electronics exports. The semiconductors segment saw a 22.5% contraction while the data storage segment declined 13.5%. For the first ten months of 2011, electronics output declined by 10.3%, compared to the same period a year ago.