A sample survey among manufacturing enterprises showed a decrease in employment, sales and investment during the second quarter of 2009 when compared to the corresponding period last year.

Sales

During the second quarter of 2009 sales by the sampled manufacturing enterprises stood at €456.4 million, a decrease of €119.6 million or 20.8 per cent, when compared to the corresponding period in 2008.

The decrease was mainly due to the Radio, TV and Communication Equipment, the Chemicals and Chemical Products, and the Rubber and Plastic Products sectors. Lower sales were also registered by the Electrical Machinery and Apparatus, the Fabricated Metal Products, the Machinery and Equipment n.e.c. and the Medical, Precision and Optical Instruments sectors.

During the period under review higher sales were registered by the Food and Beverages and the Other transport equipment sectors.

Export orientated enterprises generated €323.8 million or 70.9 per cent of the total sales for this period.

Employment, Wages and Salaries

At the end of June 2009, employment in the sampled enterprises stood at 16,352, a decrease of 1,136 employees over the same period of the previous year.

Lower employment levels were mainly recorded by the Radio, TV and Communication Equipment sector (-616 employees), followed by the Rubber and Plastic Products and the Publishing and printing sectors, with decreases of 269 and 93 employees respectively.

Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the Other Transport Equipment and the Fabricated metal products sectors with increases of 214 and 35 employees respectively.

An amount of €66.7 million was paid out in gross wages and salaries by the sampled enterprises during the second quarter this year.

Investment

During the period under review, overall investment in the manufacturing industry amounted to nearly €21 million, down by €13.3 million when compared to €34.3 million for the corresponding period of 2008.

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