31 March 2017

2017- n° 89

In January 2017, the turnover fell back sharply in the manufacturing industry (−3.3%) Turnover in industry and construction - January 2017

In January 2017, the turnover fell back sharply in the manufacturing industry (−3.3% after +1.3% in December). The decline was particularly marked in export sales (−9.1%) after remarkable sales in December (+7.8%).

In the industry as a whole, the turnover shrank as well (−2.9% after +1.2%).

Over the last three months, the turnover rose sharply in the manufacturing industry (+2.1%) as well as in the industry as a whole (+2.4%). It grew in most sectors of the manufacturing industry: “other manufacturing” (+1.8%), manufacture of transport equipment (+4.2%), manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+6.7%), machinery and equipment goods (+2.0%). It was steady in the manufacture of food products and beverages.

The turnover of the last three months grew sharply over a year in the manufacturing industry (+3.6%). The growth was even higher in the industry as a whole (+4.6%), driven by a leap in the mining and quarrying, energy, water supply, waste management sector (+9.3%). Over a year, the turnover rose in all the main sectors of the manufacturing industry: the manufacture of transport equipment (+10.1%), “other manufacturing” (+1.8%), the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+11.2%), the manufacture of food products and beverages (+1.7%) and the machinery and equipment industry (+2.6%).

The turnover in the manufacture of transport equipment fell back very sharply in January (−18.7% after +12.9% in December). This strong decrease was mainly due to the manufacture of other transport equipment (−31.0% after +24.0%), as an after-effect of the exceptionnal end of year in the aerospace industry. The turnover decreased again in the manufacture of motor vehicles (−0.6% after −0.3%). The downturn in the whole sector was particularly marked in export sales (−28.1% after +35.6%) since aeronautic sales are mainly for exports.

In January, the turnover recovered in the manufacture of food products and beverages after a downturn in December (1.2% after −2.1%). The profile was less pronounced in export sales (+1.0% after −0.8%).

The turnover in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products rose sharply again in January (+2.3% after +2.9% in December), particularly due to a rise in the prices.

The turnover in machinery and equipment recovered in January (+1.3% after −2.3%). It bounced back in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (+2.9%) and the manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. (+1.7%) while it fell again in the manufacture of electrical equipment (−1.7%). In machinery and equipment, the sales for export recovered slightly (+0.5% after −1.8%).

In January, the turnover in « other manufacturing » decreased again (−0.3%) but at a lower pace than in December (−0.8%). It feIl in other manufacturing, repair and installation of machinery and equipment (−1.9%), in the manufacture of rubber, plastics, and other non-metallic mineral products (−1.0%), and in the manufacture of wood and paper products (−1.2%). By contrast, the turnover rebounded sharply in pharmaceuticals (+3.3%) and modestly in manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products (+1.1%). The turnover remained virtually stable in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products and stagnated in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products. In whole of the « other manufacturing », the turnover of export sales was virtually stable (−0.1% after −3.5%).

In the manufacturing industry, the variation in turnover has been raised by 0.1 points, to +1.3% instead of 1.2% previously. It has been raised by 0.8 points in the industry, to +1.2% instead of +0.4% previously because of integration of late information for the energy sector.