Taiwan’s machinery exports increased by 21.% year on year to an all-time high of $25.6 billion in 2017, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Taiwan Machine Tool and Accessory Builders Association (TMBA)(www.tmba.org.tw).

Machine tool exports, which comprised 13% of total shipments, increased by 15.6% to $3.35 billion — the sixth-best result globally. The top destination was mainland China (at 35%), followed by the USA (11.1%) and Turkey (4.3%).

Semiconductor equipment exports increased by 59.1% to $3.72 billion, while ball and roller bearings grew by 31.7% to $1.73 billion. The last two resuilts put Taiwan in ninth and 13th position world-wide respectively.

Taiwan ranks 19th in the world for machinery exports, and the MoF attributes the latest strong performances to robust international demand as firms ramp up automated production or expand capacities.