Manufacturing output growth rate high again

Dutch manufacturing industry is still thriving. The average daily output in March was 6 percent up on one year previously, thus equalling the growth rate of February. This is the highest manufacturing output growth rate since May 2000. The production of investment goods in particular was substantially higher than one year ago.

Production was higher in all sectors of manufacturing industry compared to march 2006. The increase was most significant (over 8 percent) in metal industry. In increase in the production of textiles was also well above the average for the manufacturing industry as a whole.

For a more reliable picture of short-term production developments, it is best to look at the production figures after correction of seasonal effects. As monthly figures are often somewhat erratic, the two-month average compared with the previous two-month average is preferred.

After correction for working days and seasonal effects, manufacturing production was over 1 percent higher in the period February-March 2007 than in the period December 2006-January 2007.

Manufacturing output