Lower employment, sales and investment were reported by a sample of manufacturing enterprises in , the National Statistics Office said.

It said that sales by the sampled manufacturing enterprises stood at €456.4 million, a decrease of €119.6 million or 20.8 %, when compared to the corresponding period in 2008.

The decrease was mainly due to the radio, TV and communication equipment, the chemicals and chemical products, and the rubber and plastic products sectors.

Lower sales were also registered by the electrical machinery and apparatus, the fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment, and medical, precision and optical instruments sectors.

During the period under review higher sales were registered by the food and beverages and the other transport equipment sectors.

Export orientated enterprises generated €323.8 million or 70.9% of the total sales for this period.

At the end of June, employment in the sampled enterprises stood at 16,352, 1,136 employees less than in the same period last year.

Lower employment levels were mainly recorded by the radio, TV and communication equipment sector (-616 employees), followed by the rubber and plastic products and the publishing and printing sectors, with decreases of 269 and 93 employees, respectively.

Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the other transport equipment and the fabricated metal products sectors with increases of 214 and 35 employees respectively.

€66.7 million were paid out in gross wages and salaries by the sampled enterprises in the period under review.

In this period, overall investment in the manufacturing industry amounted to nearly €21 million, down by €13.3 million when compared to €34.3 million for the corresponding period of 2008.

The Times - Monday 31st August 2009