30 March 2018

2018- n° 88

In January 2018, the turnover in the manufacturing industry fell back (−0.4%) Turnover in industry and construction - January 2018

In January 2018, the turnover fell back in the manufacturing industry (−0.4% after +0.1% in december 2017). It went down slightly in industry as a whole (−0.2% after +0.1%).

Export turnover fell back (−0.6%) after an increase in December 2017 (+0.7%).

The turnover rose sharply over the last three months in the manufacturing industry (+1.3%) as well as in industry as a whole (+1.1%). Within manufacturing, the turnover rose in “other manufacturing” (+1.5%), in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+10.4%), and in the manufacture of transport equipment (+0.8%). It was stable in the machinery and equipment goods and decreased slightly in the manufacture of food products and beverages (−0.2%).

The turnover grew sharply compared to the same three months of the previous year in the manufacturing industry (+5.5%) and in industry as a whole (+5.4%). Over this period, the turnover rose strongly in every main sectors of the manufacturing industry − “other manufacturing” (+6.1%), the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+16.1%), the manufacture of transport equipment (+5.1%), the manufacture of food products and beverages (+3.2%) and the machinery and equipment sector (+4.0%).

In January 2018, the turnover in the manufacture of food products and beverages recovered (+1.8% after −1.7%), despite a decline in export (−1.4% after a virtual stability in December).

The turnover in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products rose again in January (+3.2% after +4.1%).

The turnover in “other manufacturing” rose slightly in January (+0.2% after a stability). It accelerated in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipement (+1.8% after +0.5%). It recovered in the manufacture of rubber and plastic products (+0.6% after −0.1%) and in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (+0.5% after −0.6%) and rose again in the manufacture of wood and paper products (+0.5% in January as in December). Converserly it fell back sharply in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (−5.1% after +2.6%). Export sales in “other manufacturing” rose in January (+1.5% after +0.3%).

In January, the turnover in the manufacture of transport equipment fell back strongly (−5.5% after +1.7%). It declined sharply in “other transport equipment” (−11.0% after +2.4%). Conversely it rose again in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (+0.8% in January and in December 2017). Export turnover in the manufacture of transport equipement also rose (−3.8% after +2.9%).

In January, the turnover in machinery and equipment was virtually stable (−0.1% after −0.2%). It recorvered in the manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. (+0.4% after −0.4%). On the other hand, it fell back in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (−0.4%) as well as in the manufacture of electrical equipment (−0.5%).

The export sales in machinery and equipment fell again (−1.4% after a stability).

Turnover indices are rebased every 5 years. From now on, they have reference year 2015, which means that they have for average 100 in 2015. The 2015 rebasing implements an innovation, with the introduction of a two-weighting system (instead of a constant-weight system) in order to better take into account the structural evolutions. This change responds to a recommandation of Eurostat in order to increase the robustness of indices over a long period. The methodological information concerning these base year and reference changes are available on the Insee Website.