27 October 2017

2017- n° 286

In August 2017, the turnover in the manufacturing industry rose slightly (+0.3%) Turnover in industry and construction - August 2017

In August 2017, the turnover in the manufacturing industry rose again but more modestly than in July (+0.3 % after +0.9%). It fell back slightly in export (−0.2% after +0.5%).

In industry as a whole, the turnover rose slightly as well (+0.4% after +0.9%).

Over the last three months (June to August) compared with the previous three months, the turnover slipped back slightly in the manufacturing industry (−0.4%). It was virtually stable in the industry as a whole. In the manufacturing industry, the turnover fell back strongly in the manufacture of transport equipment (−3.2%) and in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (−4.7%). Conversely, it rose in “other manufacturing” (+0.6%), in the manufacture of food products and beverages (+0.6%) and in the machinery and equipment goods (+0.4%).

In the manufacturing industry, the turnover rose sharply from the same three months of the previous year (+6.3%). This increase was even more marked in industry as a whole (+7.4%) due to the strong increase in the mining and quarrying, energy, water supply, waste management (+12.4%). Over this period, the turnover rose in every main sectors of the manufacturing industry − “other manufacturing” (+6.8%), the manufacture of transport equipment (+6.0%), the manufacture of food products and beverages (+4.6%), the machinery and equipment sector (+5.7%) and the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+11.0%).

The turnover in the manufacture of food products and beverages rose in August (+2.3%) after a stability in July. It recovered sharply in export sales (+3.5% after −1.8%).

In August, the turnover in machinery and equipment rose again (+2.3% after +0.9% in July). It rebounded in manufacture of electrical equipment (+3.8% after −2.2%), and rose again in manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (+2.2% after +3.6%) and in manufacture of other machinery and equipment (+1.6% after +0.7%). In export sales, the turnover in machinery and equipment grew again in August (+1.9% after +2.1%).

In August, the turnover in “other manufacturing” recovered slightly (+0.4% after −0.3%). It rebounded in other manufacturing (+1.9% after −1.9%), in the manufacture of rubber and plastic products (+1.3% after −0.3%), in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipement (+0.9% after −0.2%), in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (+1.6% after −3.1%) and in the manufacture of wood and paper products (+1.5% after −1.0%). It rose slightly in the manufacture of textiles (+0.3% in August after a stability in July). However, it slipped back in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (−3.2% after +2.6%). In export sales, the turnover in “other manufacturing” recovered as well (+2.0% after −1.3%).

The turnover in the manufacture of transport equipment fell back sharply in August (−3.3% after +6.3% in July). It slipped back in the manufacture of other transport equipment (−4.2% after +10.0%) and in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (−2.3% after +2.3%). The downturn was more marked in export sales (−7.0% after +3.6%).

The turnover in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products fell again in August (−0.8%) but more moderately than in July (−2.8%).

The variation in the turnover index in July 2017 has been revised upwards by 0.2 points in the manufacturing industry, at 0.9% instead of 0.7%, and by 0.3 points in industry as a whole, at 0.9% instead of 0.6%, mainly because of raw series revision.