27 November 2020

2020- n° 307

Manufacturing industry turnover continued to increase in September 2020 (+2.0%) Turnover in industry and construction - September 2020

In September 2020, turnover continued to increase in the manufacturing industry (+2.0% after +1.5%) as in the whole industry (+1.8% after +1.4%).

Export turnover kept rising in September (+1.7% after +2.2%).

Compared to February (last month before the start of the general lockdown), turnover remained however in decline, in the manufacturing industry (−8.0%) as in industry as a whole (−6.4%).

In September, turnover rebounded strongly in the manufacture of transport equipment (+12.6% after −1.3%) and continued to grow in “other manufacturing” (+0.7% after +3.2%). It recovered slightly in the manufacture of food products and beverages (+0.3% after −1.5%) and continued to increase, though at a slower pace, in the manufacture of machinery and equipment goods (+0.3% after +4.6%). By contrast, turnover fell sharply in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (−5.7% after +0.6%).

Within transport equipment, turnover increased in September in the manufacture of motors vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (+8.0% after +13.5%) and in the manufacture of other transport equipment (+18.3% after −15.0%). Within “other manufacturing” (+0.7% after +3.2%), turnover fell back sharply in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (−6.3% after +12.9%).

Compared to February, turnover in industry declined in almost all sectors. It withdrew strongly in the manufacture of transport equipment (−22.8%), especially in the manufacture of other transport equipment (−38.1%). Turnover declined also in “other manufacturing” (−3.4%), in particular in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products (−9.7%) and in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (−5.3%). Turnover decreased strongly in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (−37.9%). Conversely, it was close to its February level in the manufacture of machinery and equipment goods (−2.3%) and in the manufacture of food products and beverages (−0.7%). Compared to February, turnover increased only in mining and quarrying; energy; water supply; waste management (+1.3%).

The industry turnover over the last three months fell sharply compared to that of the same three months of the previous year (−10.9% for the manufacturing industry, –9.4% for the whole industry). The fall was particularly sharp in the manufacture of transport equipment (−29.0%), in “other manufacturing” (−6.0%), in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (−39.9%) and in the manufacture of machinery and equipment goods (−6.8%). The downturn was more moderate in mining and quarrying; energy; water supply; waste management (−2.7%). Finally, turnover was almost stable over one year in the manufacture of food products and beverages (-0.1%).

At a finer level, within the manufacturing industry, turnover increased over one year only in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (+6.3%) and in mining and quarrying (+4.5%).

The percentage change of the turnover index in August 2020 has not been revised in the manufacturing industry (the rise of +1.5% was confirmed) ; It has been reestimated at +1.4% instead of +1.2% in industry as a whole, compared to the previous publication.