Exports for Taiwan’s machine-tool industry totaled US$1.581 billion in the first five months of 2011, surging 53.6% from a year earlier, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF).

Exports for metal-cutting machine tools totaled US$1.275 billion in the first five months of 2011, up 61.5% year-on-year and that for metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$305.54 million, up 27.6%.

China and Hong Kong together ranked first by absorbing US$687.14 million in Taiwan-made machine tools in the first five months, up 42.3% from a year earlier and accounting for 43.5% of the total. The U.S. stood at second place with US$105.33 million, up 137.2% and commanding 6.7%. The third place went to Turkey with US$78.34 million, up 132.3% and accounting for 5%.

Other major export destinations, in descending order, were Thailand, India, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Japan, United Kingdom, and Russia.

The TMTF’s tallies also show Taiwan imported US$357.26 million in machine tools in the first five months, up 66% year-on-year. Imports for metal-cutting machine tools amounted to US$309.31 million, up 75.3% and that for metal-forming machine tools came to US$47.94 million, up 23.8%.

Japan was the largest supplier to Taiwan at US$229.17 million of machine tools in the first five months, up 76.7% year-on-year and accounting for 64.1% of the total imports. The second place went to Switzerland with US$440.26 million, up a whopping 392.5% and accounting for 11.3%. China and Hong Kong together ranked third with US$19.74 million, up 65.9% and commanding 5.5%.