Aggregated revenues for the first three quarters reached NT$19.91 trillion, up 4 percent from the same period last year. The figures include sales generated by Taiwan manufacturers’ products and services, according to the survey produced by the MOEA Department of Statistics.
Wang Chi-fen, a DOS senior executive officer, said the growth in Taiwan’s manufacturing sector reflects the industry trend of servitization, which seeks to create added value by providing customized services. “Of the 2,916 firms covered in the report, 34.2 percent are engaged in such services, mostly in the areas of design, maintenance and marketing.”
A breakdown of manufacturing identifies the biggest improvers as computers, electronics and optical products, up 10.7 percent from the previous quarter to NT$2.18 trillion. Electronic components and parts also chalked up handsome gains, rising 4.2 percent to NT$1.39 trillion.
The two sectors mainly benefitted from continued growth in the mobile communications and smart device markets, as well as a global rebound in demand for laptops and PCs.
Petroleum and coal products, machinery equipment and chemical materials also gained during the same period, up 8.5 percent, 1 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, from the second quarter. Basic metal manufacturing, though dropping 3.6 percent, still registered a 7.2 percent increase year on year.
Taiwan manufacturers’ total investment in fixed assets from July to September jumped 5.3 percent to NT$234.5 billion. This number rose to NT$693.8 billion counting in the first three quarters, according to the survey.
A total 61.2 percent of these manufacturers boast a dedicated research and development task force, representing a 6.1 percent improvement from 2013. This figure topped 80 percent among large enterprises, with 80.9 percent of their R&D facilities located in Taiwan, up 3.8 percent from last year.
Wang said this trend reflects a commitment by manufacturers to pursue innovative products and technologies in line with a rapidly changing global marketplace.
“Such a highly competitive environment is expected to rank alongside rising raw material costs as one of the biggest challenges facing Taiwan’s manufacturing sector in the coming year.” (YHC-JSM)
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