Manufacturing output 12 percent down

In March, the average daily output of Dutch manufacturing industry was 12 percent down on March 2008. For the fourth month running, manufacturing output has declined by 12 to 13 percent. The utilisation capacity rate and exports also dropped dramatically.

Manufacturing output dropped across all branches in March. With an output loss of 4 percent, food, drinks and tobacco proportionally achieved the best results. With a 31 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 to 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 1.5 percent over the period February–March compared with December 2008–January  2009.

Manufacturing output