29 May 2019

2019- n° 144

In March 2019, the turnover in the manufacturing industry turned down (−1.5%) Turnover in industry and construction - March 2019

In March 2019, the turnover dwindled in the manufacturing industry (−1.5%) after a strong increase in February (+2.6%). It also decreased in industry as a whole (−1.3% after +2.1%).

Export turnover turned down strongly in March (−2.6% after +2.6% in February).

The turnover went up over the first quarter of 2019, in the manufacturing industry (+0.8%) as well as in industry as a whole (+1.0%), compared to the last quarter of 2018. Within manufacturing, the turnover increased in the manufacture of transport equipment (+3.4%), in the manufacture of machinery and equipment goods (+2.2%) and in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+2.6%). It was near stable in the manufacture of food products and beverages (−0.1%) and decreased in “other manufacturing” (−0.4%).

The turnover over the first quarter of 2019 grew strongly by 4.2% compared to the same quarter of the previous year in the manufacturing industry. It grew more strongly in industry as a whole (+4.9%) due to the strong increase in the manufacture of mining and quarrying and energy and water supply and waste management (+8.3%). It rose in most subsections of the manufacturing industry − the manufacture of transport equipment (+9.3%), “other manufacturing” (+2.9%), the machinery and equipment goods (+5.3%), the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+7.8%) and the manufacture of food products and beverages (+1.5%).

The turnover in the manufacture of transport equipment fell back sharply in March 2019 (−7.0% after +16.6%). It folded strongly in the manufacture of other transport equipment (−12.8% after +33.2% corresponding to a ship delivery in February) however, it rose in the manufacture of motor vehicles (+1.1% after −0.8%).

Export sales of transport equipment also folded (−10.4% after +12.6%).

The turnover in the manufacture of food products and beverages went down again in March 2019 (−1.8% after −1.1%). Export sales also decreased (−1.4% after −1.1%).

In March 2019, the turnover in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products dwindled sharply (−4.6% after +4.4%.).

In March 2019, the turnover in machinery and equipment grew (+1.9% after −0.3% in February). It recovered in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (+5.7% after −0.6%) in the manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. (+0.2% after −0.7%) but it decreased in the manufacture of electrical equipment (−0.2% after +1.1%).

Export sales bounced back in machinery and equipment goods (+1.7% after −1.6%).

The turnover in “other manufacturing” rose in March 2019 (+0.6% after −0.5%). It recovered in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment (+0.9% after −1.4%), in other manufacturing, repair and installation of machinery equipment (+1.1% after −0.6%), in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (+2.1% after −0.3%) and in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (+0.4% after −1.5%). The turnover was near stable in the manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products (+0.1% after −1.2%), in the manufacture of wood and paper products; printing and reproduction of recorded media (−0.1% after +0.2%) and in rubber and plastics products and other non−metallic mineral products (−0.1% after +1.8%).

Export sales in “other manufacturing” bounced back again in March (+0.7% after −1.1%).

The variation of the turnover index in February 2019 has been reestimated at +2.6% instead of +2.5% in the manufacturing industry. It has been reestimated at +2.1% instead of +2.0% in industry as a whole.