Manufacturing sales up 11.6 per cent in Sept

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s manufacturing sales grew 11.6 per cent in September 2021 to RM135.3 billion as compared to the same month in 2020, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Sales value increased by 6.9 per cent against the previous month, driven by the Petroleum, Chemical, Rubber and Plastic Products subsector (29.2 per cent) especially in the Manufacture of Coke and Refined Petroleum Products industries.

“The expansion was also attributed to the Food, Beverages and Tobacco subsector (12.0 per cent) supported by the Manufacture of Food Products industries, as well as the Electrical and Electronics (E&E) Products subsector (10.8 per cent) mainly in the manufacture of computer, optical and electronics products,” chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement yesterday.

Sales value for exportoriented industries which accounted for 74.0 per cent of total sales value recorded an increase of 15.9 per cent (RM100.2 billion) while domestic-oriented industries posted an increment of 1.1 per cent in September 2021 as compared to the same month in 2020.

According to DOSM, the growth in sales value for export-oriented industries was in line with the doubledigit growth in external trade exports and the price factors that remain favourable.

On month-on-month comparison, export and domestic-oriented industries recorded positive growth of 5.2 per cent and 12.3 per cent respectively.

Mohd Uzir added that the total employees engaged in the Manufacturing sector in September 2021 was 2.23 million persons, up 1.6 per cent from 2.19 million persons in September 2020.

The increase was contributed by the E&E Products (4.5 per cent), Petroleum, Chemical, Rubber & Plastic Products (1.3 per cent), and Wood, Furniture, Paper Products & Printing (1.5 per cent).

The report also stated that salaries and wages paid amounted to RM7.48 billion, an increase of 3.6 per cent or RM261.8 million in September 2021 as against the same month of the preceding year.

“In the third quarter 2021 (Q3 2021), the sales value of the Manufacturing sector grew 6.4 per cent to RM381.8 billion as compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

The increase was driven by Petroleum, Chemical, Rubber & Plastics Products (34.2 per cent), Food, Beverages and Tobacco Products (8.8 per cent), and E&E Products (2.9 per cent).

The number of employees and salaries and wages rose 1.6 per cent and 2.3 per cent respectively in Q3 2021.

From January to September 2021 period, the sales value of the Manufacturing sector increased by 15.1 per cent to RM1.13 trillion as compared to the same period in 2020.

The number of employees and salaries and wages recorded a growth of 1.6 per cent and 2.5 per cent to 2.23 million persons and RM66.6 billion, respectively.

Sales value per employee for the first nine months of 2021 also grew 13.2 per cent to RM505,404.