Manufacturing industry steps up production

Dutch manufacturing industry stepped up production. The average daily output in the Dutch manufacturing industry was almost 6 percent higher than one year previously. This is after correction for the effect of the composition of working days. It is six and a half years ago now since a higher output growth rate was recorded.

Production was higher in all sectors of industry The increase was largest (almost 11 percent) in the metal industry. With an increase of about 5 percent, chemicals and food, drinks and tobacco did well too.

To get a more reliable idea of the short-term developments in production, it is best to look at production after correction of seasonal effects. As the corrected figures are often erratic, the two-month average compared with the previous two-month average is used for this.

After correction for working day and seasonal effects, manufacturing production was in the period November-December 2 percent up on the period September-October. Notably more raw materials and semi-manufactured goods and investment goods too were produced than in September-October last year.

Manufacturing production in 2006 was 2 percent up on the previous year. The sectors metals and metal products, textiles, petroleum, chemical and rubber products realised a higher output. Output generated by the sector paper, printing and publishing was somewhat below the level of one year ago. 

Manufacturing output