Statistic Norway: weaker development in value for goods manufactured

Table from www.ssb.no

The increase in the value of sales of goods manufactured in Norway was 6.5 per cent in 2008. The growth was larger for 2007, and 2006, and thereby continues to decrease for the second year in a row. Seven industries experienced a decline in sales value of goods manufactured in 2008, compared with only one in 2007.

In 2008, several industries experienced relatively large reductions in the value of sales of goods manufactured. The largest one was in the basic metal industry, with a decrease of 16.5 per cent. Production of wood and wood products was affected by a fall in total building activity (see index of production). The value decrease in the industry’s commodity figures was 16.2 per cent. The textiles, wearing apparel and leather industry also had a relatively large reduction in value of sale of goods manufactured from 2007 to 2008, with a decline of 13.7 per cent.

The increase in value was highest within the machinery and equipment industry, with an upturn of 22.8 per cent. This is connected to deliveries to the Norwegian offshore industry and high levels of export of engineering products.

Another industry that had a good year was the refined petroleum, chemicals and pharmaceutical industry, where the growth in value of sales of goods manufactured was 20.5 per cent. The main cause for this was the high prices of the goods within the refined petroleum industry and the chemical industry. For refined petroleum products the prices went up 19.3 per cent from 2007 to 2008, and there was also a strong growth in prices for chemical products (see producer price index). 2008 was a good year for the computer and electrical equipment industry as well, with an upsurge in value of sales of goods manufactured of 19.1 per cent.

Refined petroleum, chemicals and pharmaceutical industry at the top

Total value of sales of goods manufactured for manufacturing, mining and quarrying was NOK 647 billion. The largest industry in 2008 was the refined petroleum, chemicals and pharmaceutical industry, where the value of the goods was close to NOK 118 billion. This industry accounted for 18.2 per cent of the total value. Second largest was the food, beverages and tobacco industry, with a value of approximately NOK 110 billion. The industry with the smallest value of sales of goods manufactured was the textiles, wearing apparel and leather industry, with its NOK 4.5 billion.

Source: SSB