Higher turnover manufacturing industry in September

In September 2004 turnover of the Dutch manufacturing industry was 9 percent up on September last year. This was mainly due to higher selling prices. Production fell in the period August – September compared to the period June – July this year, according to provisional figures published by Statistics Netherlands.  

Turnover in September 2004 up on September 2003

In September 2004 Dutch manufacturing industry witnessed an increase in turnover by 9 percent compared to September 2003. Selling prices were 7 percent up on September 2003. Turnover of the manufacturing industry on the domestic market rose by 5 percent, exports by 12 percent. 

In the first nine months of 2004 turnover of the Dutch manufacturing industry was 6 percent higher than one year previously. Higher selling prices account for about half of the increase. Higher selling prices are mainly caused by an increase in the prices of oil and chemical products and - to a lesser extent - metal products, food, drinks and tobacco.

Production down in the period August – September

After correction for seasonal effects production of the Dutch manufacturing industry in the period August – September 2004 was 0.5 percent down on the period June – July. This means that production lost some of the economic recovery made at the beginning of this year. The production of consumer goods grew in the period August – September 2004 compared to June – July, whereas the production of raw materials and semi-fabricated goods and investment goods went down. The dip in the production of semi-fabricated goods in the third quarter was partly due to a temporary shutdown of some large petrochemical production units in need of major repairs. Petrochemical products were partly delivered from stock in the third quarter.

In September 2004 production, corrected for differences in the working day pattern, was below the level of one year previously. The same applied to August.

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