Manufacturing output 13 percent down

09/04/2009 15:00

In February, the average daily output of Dutch manufacturing industry was nearly 13 percent down on February 2008. The slump in February 2008 was slightly larger than in January, when output was nearly 11 percent down on twelve months previously.

Manufacturing output dropped in all branches in February. With an output loss of nearly 4 percent, food, drinks and tobacco proportionally achieved the best results. With a 33 percent output loss, manufacturers of transport equipment suffered most.

Seasonally adjusted figures provide a more reliable picture of short-term production developments. Monthly figures not adjusted for seasonal effects are often somewhat erratic. Therefore, the two-monthly average compared with the previous two-monthly average is a more accurate indicator. After correction for seasonal effects and the number of working days, manufacturing output declined by nearly 3 percent over the period January – February compared with November – December.