Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased a record 8.3 percent in the December 2007 quarter, Statistics New Zealand. The sales increase is nearly double the previous highest increase set during the September 2000 quarter, and is a record for the series which began in December 1992.
Two other industries made significant contributions to the result. Other machinery and equipment manufacturing both increased by more than 8.0 percent compared with the September 2007 quarter.
With the effects of price changes removed, seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased 3.4 percent.
Since the June 2003 quarter the total manufacturing sales trend has generally increased. However, the rate of trend increase has been at its highest level in the past three quarters.
The sales trend for this sub-group has increased 16.6 percent since the June 2003 quarter.