A survey by the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers has found that growth in manufacturing activity came to a halt in 2008.

The value-added of the manufacturing sector, which had increased by over €60 million in 2007, declined by almost €9 million in 2008, the survey shows.

The survey shows that while growth in 2007 had been generated by the chemicals and electronics subsectors, the former sector experienced virtually no growth in 2008 and the latter declined markedly in the same year.

The survey also highlights that the contribution of the manufacturing sector to total economic activity had peaked at 17 per cent in the first half of 2007, but declined to around 15 per cent by the end of 2008.

Investment in manufacturing followed similar trends to developments in value added, with the level for the third quarter of 2008 being at a two-year low.

The chemicals sub-sector had grown rapidly in 2007 and in 2008 remained the second largest manufacturing sub-sector in Malta in spite of low growth.

Other sub-sectors which have grown in terms of value added in 2008 included transport equipment, and to a lesser extent, food and printing.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers undertake surveys within the Joint Harmonised EU Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys.

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