SA manufacturing output falls 3.7% in January

Source: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

The largest negative contributions were made by the following divisions: petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products (-10.8% and contributing -2.5 percentage points); motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (-7.6% and contributing -0.7 of a percentage point); and basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery (-3.7% and contributing -0.7 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production increased by 1.1% in January 2023 compared with December 2022. This followed month-on-month changes of 0.5% in December 2022 and 0.9% in November 2022.

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Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production decreased by 1.0% in the three months ended January 2023 compared with the previous three months. Five of the 10 manufacturing divisions reported negative growth rates over this period.

The largest negative contributions were made by the following divisions: motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (-7.7% and contributing -0.8 of a percentage point); wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing (-4.0% and contributing -0.4 of a percentage point); and basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery (-1.8% and contributing -0.4 of a percentage point).

Sales results

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales decreased by 0.5% in January 2023 compared with December 2022. This followed month-on-month changes of 2.0% in December 2022 and 3.1% in November 2022.

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased by 2.3% in the three months ended January 2023 compared with the previous three months. The largest contributions were made by the following divisions: motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (12.0% and contributing 1.8 percentage points); and basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery (1.7% and contributing 0.4 of a percentage point).