PETALING JAYA: The manufacturing industry achieved a capacity utilisation rate of 82.4% in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24), an increase of 3.0 percentage points from the same period a year ago, according to the Statistics Department.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin highlighted that the transport equipment and other manufacturers led the way with the highest capacity utilisation at 84.1%.
This was followed by non-metallic mineral products, basic metals and fabricated metal products at 83.6%, and textiles, wearing apparel, leather and footwear at 83%.
“In comparison with the previous quarter, manufacturing capacity utilisation rose by 0.3 percentage point from 2Q24’s 82.1%,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Mohd Uzir said the capacity utilisation rate remained above 80% throughout 3Q24.
The industry was operating at 82.2% in July, an increase of 3.6 percentage points compared to the previous year, with August and September utilisations rates at 82.8% and 82.3%, respectively.
Regarding export-oriented industries, Mohd Uzir said capacity utilisation increased by 3.4 percentage points to 81.8% in 3Q24, up from 78.4% in 3Q23.
He attributed the growth to higher capacity utilisation in the manufacturing of computer, electronics and optical products, as well as chemical and chemical products. — Bernama
