Manufacturing production increased by 0.7% year-on-year in December, Statistics South Africa reports.

The largest positive contributions were made by petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products, which increased 5.3% and contributed 1.1 percentage points; wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing, which increased by 2.7% and contributed 0.3 of a percentage point; and food and beverages, which increased by 0.9% and contributed 0.3 of a percentage point.

Manufacturing production decreased by 1.7% in December, compared with November. This followed month-on-month changes of 1.2% in November and 0% in October.

Additionally, manufacturing production increased by 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the third quarter of 2023. Six of the ten manufacturing divisions reported positive growth rates over this period, says statistician-general Risenga Maluleke.

Further, in 2023, total manufacturing production increased by 0.4% compared with 2022. The largest positive contributions were made by basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery increasing 1.7% and contributing 0.3 of a percentage point; motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment increasing 2.2% and contributing 0.2 of a percentage point; and wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing increasing by 1.4% and contributing 0.2 of a percentage point.

MANUFACTURING SALES
Meanwhile, manufacturing sales increased by 1.3% in December compared with November. This followed month-on-month changes of 1.7% up in November and -0.6% in October.

Manufacturing sales increased by 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the third quarter of 2023.

The largest positive contribution was made by the motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division, increasing 10.7% and contributing 1.8 percentage points, Maluleke reports.