Key findings: P3041.2 - Manufacturing: Production and sales, December 2009

Key findings regarding manufacturing production for the year 2009

Manufacturing production for 2009 reflected a decrease of 12,5% compared with 2008, the first annual decrease since 2003 when manufacturing production recorded a growth rate of -2,0%. Lower production for the year 2009 was reported by nine of the ten manufacturing divisions.

The annual decrease of 12,5% was mainly due to lower production in the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (-18,7% and contributing -4,1 percentage points), the motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division (-24,4% and contributing -2,5 percentage points), the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division (-8,9% and contributing -2,1 percentage points), the wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing division (-15,0% and contributing
-1,5 percentage points), the furniture and