Manufacturing output in the Republic rose 4.2 per cent on-year in August, driven by growth in nearly all clusters, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) said on Friday (Sep 26).
On a year-on-year basis, the biomedical manufacturing cluster’s output increased 9.7 per cent in August. The medical technology segment expanded 20.6 per cent, while pharmaceuticals output grew 7.5 per cent due to higher output in active pharmaceutical ingredients and biologics products.
Output of the electronics cluster increased 7.2 per cent year-on-year in August, with the computer peripherals segment expanding 42.2 per cent partly due to the low base last year when demand was weak. The data storage segment grew 18.8 per cent on the back of higher regional demand for disk media.
The chemicals cluster’s output rose 2.3 per cent last month, with most segments recording output growth. The specialties segment increased 8.5 per cent on the back of higher output in additives for mineral oil. In contrast, the petroleum segment contracted 7 per cent due to plant maintenance shutdowns.
The precision engineering cluster grew 1.9 per cent, with the machinery and systems segment rising 6 per cent due to higher output in lifting and handling equipment and mechanical engineering work. This was partly offset by the 2.6 per cent decline in the precision modules and components segment, on account of lower output in optical instruments and photographic equipment, and dies, moulds, jigs and fixtures.
The general manufacturing industries cluster’s output declined 0.2 per cent in August, hurt by weak demand for commercial printing. The food, beverages and tobacco, and miscellaneous industries segments rose 1.7 per cent and 0.2 per cent, respectively.
Output of the transport engineering cluster fell 0.8 per cent, dragged down by a 19.5 per cent contraction in the aerospace segment due to a drop in the number of repair jobs from commercial airlines. The marine and offshore engineering segment expanded 9.1 per cent, helped by higher contributions from rig building projects.
SOURCE: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-s-manufacturing/1382754.html
