SA manufacturing up 7.7%

Stats SA said the 7.7% y/y increase was mainly due to higher production in:

• the motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division (51.1% and contributing 4.1 percentage points);
  
• the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (6.3% and contributing 1.3 percentage points);
  
• the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division (2.3% and contributing 0.6 of a percentage point);
  
• the electrical machinery division (10.6% and contributing 0.4 of a percentage point);
  
• the food and beverages division (1.9% and contributing 0.4 of a percentage point);
  
• the radio, television and communication apparatus and professional equipment division (28.5% and contributing 0.3 of a percentage point);
  
• the glass and non-metallic mineral products division (5.4% and contributing 0.3 of a percentage point); and
  
• the wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing division (3.0% and contributing 0.3 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production for the third quarter of 2011 decreased marginally by 0.1% compared with the second quarter, Stats SA said. Four of the ten manufacturing divisions reported negative growth rates over this period.

The decrease was driven by lower production recorded for the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (-7.7% and contributing -1.6 percentage points); the petroleum chemical products, rubber and plastic products division (-1.8% and contributing -0.5 of a percentage point); and the furniture and 'other' manufacturing division (-2.9% and contributing -0.1 of a percentage point).

However, these decreases were partially counteracted by increases reported by the food and beverages division (5.2% and contributing 0,9 of a percentage point); the motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division (7.9% and contributing 0.8 of a percentage point); and the glass and non-metallic mineral products division (4.4% and contributing 0.2 of a percentage point).