The volume of manufacturing sales rose 1.9 per cent in the March 2011 quarter, building on a 3.7 per cent rise in the December 2010 quarter, said Statistics New Zealand today.
Business statistics manager Louise Holmes-Oliver said it appeared that manufacturing volumes were continuing to rise after reaching their
lowest level in more than ten years.
Increases were recorded for nine of 13 industries, while four decreased.
Holmes-Oliver said unusually, this quarter's rise was driven by industries other than meat and dairy product manufacturing.
The main contributors to the rise in manufacturing volumes were:
- transport equipment, machinery, and equipment manufacturing (up 11.9 per cent)
- chemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing (up 5.0 per cent)
- wood and paper product manufacturing (up 4.1 per cent).
Offsetting these volume rises was a 12.9 per cent fall in the printing industry and a 3.3 per cent fall in petroleum and coal product manufacturing.
In current prices, the seasonally adjusted value of sales increased 2.9 per cent.
Statistics NZ said it was confident the quality of these results had not been affected by the February 22 Christchurch earthquake.
- NZ HERALD ONLINE
