In February, industrial production increased compared to the previous year

News
Posted on 31 March 2015, 11:00
According to Statistics Estonia, in February 2015, the production of industrial enterprises increased by 5% compared to February of the previous year. Production increased in manufacturing and energy production, but decreased in mining.

In February, the production in manufacturing increased 6% compared to the same month of the previous year. The growth in production volume was caused primarily by an increase in the manufacture of electronic and wood products, where production rose 24% and 14%, respectively. In February, among the branches of industry holding larger shares, the production rose in the manufacture of food and metal products and electrical equipment. Production growth was not broad-based – in February, more than half of the branches of industry did not achieve the volume of the previous year. Among the branches of industry holding larger shares, the volume of production fell in the manufacture of chemical products, building materials and plastic products.

71% of the whole production of manufacturing was sold on the external market in February. Compared to February 2014, export sales as well as domestic sales of manufacturing production rose about 3% according to unadjusted data.

In February 2015 compared to January 2015, the seasonally adjusted total industrial production increased by 2%, manufacturing production by 1%.

Compared to February 2014, the production of electricity increased by 8% and the production of heat by 1%.

Diagram: Volume index and trend of production in manufacturing

Change in volume index of industrial production, February 2015
(percentages)
Economic activity Change compared to the
previous month according to
seasonally adjusted dataa
Change compared to the corresponding
month of the previous year
according to
unadjusted data
according to working-day
adjusted datab
TOTAL 1.6 5.0 5.0
Energy production 0.3 5.6 5.6
Mining -2.8 -3.1 -3.1
Manufacturing 0.9 5.6 5.6
manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products -3.9 23.7 23.7
manufacture of wood and wood products 2.6 13.6 13.6
manufacture of food products 1.9 3.0 3.0
manufacture of fabricated metal products -4.9 8.9 8.9
manufacture of electrical equipment 5.9 3.1 3.1
manufacture of chemicals and chemical products -2.6 -17.4 -17.4
manufacture of furniture -2.1 2.7 2.7
manufacture of motor vehicles 1.3 1.1 1.1
manufacture of building materials -0.6 -6.4 -6.4
manufacture of machinery and equipment 15.2 6.1 6.1

a In the case of the seasonally adjusted volume index of industrial production, the impact of the differing number of working days in a month and seasonally recurring factors have been eliminated. It is calculated only in comparison with the previous period.

b In the case of the working-day adjusted volume index of industrial production, the impact of the differing number of working days in a month has been eliminated. It is calculated only in comparison with the corresponding period of the previous year.

The statistics are based on the questionnaires “Industry”, the submission date of which was 15.03.2015, and “Energy production, sales and fuel consumption”, the submission date of which was 10.03.2015. Statistics Estonia published the monthly overview in eleven working days.