During 2006, total sales by sampled manufacturing enterprises increased by Lm93.9 million, or 9.9 per cent to Lm1,037.4 million from Lm943.5 million for the previous year, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday.
Export-oriented enterprises generated Lm824.6 million, or 79.5 per cent of the total sales. The radio, TV and communication equipment sub-sector registered an increase in sales for 2006 of Lm110.5 million, or 27.8 per cent to Lm507.9 million from Lm397.4 million for 2005.
Higher sales were also registered by the chemicals and chemical products, the furniture and manufacturing, and the rubber and plastic products manufacturing sub-sectors.
The textiles and textile products sub-sector registered a 42.1 per cent drop in sales, to Lm19.6 million during 2006 when compared to Lm33.8 million for 2005.
Other decreases in sales were also registered by the electrical machinery and apparatus, the food and beverages and tobacco products and the wearing apparel and clothes manufacturing sub-sectors.
Average employment for the year in sampled enterprises declined by 1,047 employees to 18,342 in 2006 from 19,389 for 2005.
Lower employment levels were recorded mainly in the textiles and textile products, the wearing apparel and clothes, the food and beverages and tobacco products and the leather and leather products manufacturing sub-sectors.
Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the radio, TV and communication equipment followed by the chemicals and chemical products and the publishing and printing sub-sectors.
During 2006, Lm119.3 million were paid out in gross wages and salaries by the sampled enterprises, an increase of Lm0.3 million over 2005.
Overall investment for 2006 amounted to Lm59.6 million, an increase of Lm9.4 million over the Lm50.2 million registered during 2005.
In 2006, average earnings per employee increased by 5.9 per cent to Lm6,502 from Lm6,137 of the previous year.
Between 2005 and 2006, the average turnover per employee registered an increase of 16.2 per cent from Lm 48,659 to Lm56,559.