The manufacturing output in Singapore for September 2010 increased by 26.2% compared to the same period last year. Excluding the biomedical manufacturing sector, the output grew by 20.4%. Based on a three-month moving average, the overall output in September 2010 increased by 14.3% year-on-year. In the first nine months of 2010, the manufacturing output grew by 31.9%.
Biomedical Sector: The output of the biomedical sector in September 2010 increased by 47.5% year-on-year, reversing the decline seen in the previous two months. The pharmaceutical industry saw a significant increase of 53.8% in output due to higher production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, driving the growth of the biomedical sector. In the first nine months of 2010, the cumulative output of the biomedical sector increased by 42.9% compared to the same period last year.
Precision Engineering Sector: The output of the precision engineering sector in September 2010 surged by 42.9%. The output from new factories and strong export demand for semiconductor-related equipment contributed to a remarkable increase of 77.4% in the machinery and systems segment. Driven by the output of precision metal components, stamped parts, and electronic connectors, the precision molds and components sector also grew by 10.9%. In the first nine months of this year, the precision engineering manufacturing sector achieved a year-on-year growth of 42.5%.
Electronics Sector Output: The output of the electronics sector in September 2010 increased by 28% year-on-year. Strong demand for consumer electronics such as smartphones and multimedia tablets led to a robust growth of 67.9% in the semiconductor sector. The increase in output of networking peripherals resulted in a growth of 58.8% in the information technology and consumer electronics sectors. However, the output of computer peripherals declined by 37.5% due to high levels of restocking in the same period last year. In the first nine months of this year, the cumulative output of the electronics sector increased by 48.1% compared to the same period last year.
Chemical Sector Output: The output of the chemical sector in September 2010 increased by 8.8% year-on-year. The output of petrochemicals rose by 19.5% due to fewer factory closures for maintenance compared to the same period last year. However, the output of petroleum slightly decreased by 2.3%. In the first nine months of this year, the cumulative output of the chemical sector increased by 14.1% compared to the same period last year.
General Manufacturing Sector: The output of the general manufacturing sector in September 2010 increased by 6.3% year-on-year. The output in the food, beverage, and tobacco sectors grew by 6.7%, while the printing sector saw a slight decline of 0.5%. The cumulative output of this sector in the first nine months increased by 13.8% compared to the same period last year.
Transport Engineering Sector: The output of the transport engineering sector in September 2010 increased by 1.4% year-on-year. The land transport sector achieved a growth of 27.6% due to an increase in exports of automotive parts and accessories, making it the fastest-growing area within the sector. Improvements in air travel and air freight demand led to an 8.4% growth in the aerospace engineering sector. However, the maritime and offshore engineering sectors contracted by 7.8% due to a decrease in ship modification and repair projects. In the first nine months of 2010, the cumulative output of this sector shrank by 7.3% compared to the same period last year.
