Manufacturing sales up in January: StatsCan

Manufacturing sales rose 1.5 per cent to $50.4 billion in January, the largest gain since February 2013. Statistics Canada’s Monthly Survey of Manufacturing for January 2014 revealed that the increase mostly reflected higher sales in the primary metal, food and miscellaneous industries.

According to the agency, sales were up in 12 of 21 industries, representing about 46 per cent of the manufacturing sector sales in January. On the durable goods side of manufacturing, sales were up two per cent while non-durable goods sales rose one per cent.

Constant dollar sales increased 0.7 per cent, indicating that just under half of the gain reflected higher volumes of goods sold.

A 1.2 per cent decline in transportation equipment sales offset a portion of the overall advance. The decrease was largely caused by lower motor vehicle sales (down 4.7 per cent to $4.4 billion).

Sales were up in four provinces in January, led by Quebec where sales advanced 4.4 per cent to $12.1 billion. The increase was the largest since January 2011. In Quebec, sales rose 12 per cent in the primary metal industry, and production was up 14.8 per cent in the aerospace product and parts industry. Higher sales in the food industry also contributed to the provincial advance.

Alberta manufacturing sales rose 4.3 per cent to $6.5 billion, the highest level since November 2011. Sales rose in the petroleum and coal product industry, as well as the chemical industry in January.

Sales in British Columbia increased 3.3 per cent to $3.5 billion. The gain reflected sales increases in 16 of 21 industries, led by the wood product industry.

The largest provincial decline was in Newfoundland and Labrador, where manufacturing sales were down 14.5 per cent to $513 million.