Manufacturing sales rose 2.4% in January to $44.6 billion, according to figures released this morning by Statistics Canada. With this gain, sales have advanced for five consecutive months.
Sales gains were broadly based in January, with 17 of 21 industries reporting increases compared with December. Some of the larger gains included advances in primary metals, and petroleum and coal products.
Constant dollar manufacturing sales increased 2.2% in January, reaching the highest sales level since November 2008.
The nation's number crunchers also said most industries reported an increase in sales for January. Primary metal manufacturers led the gains, up 8.5% compared with December. Sales by primary metal manufacturers have been improving steadily since July 2009. The increase in January was partly due to a rise in production after several plants were shutdown during December.
Sales of plastic and rubber products advanced 5.6% in January. Most of the gains in this industry reflected increases by tire manufacturers.
The petroleum and coal products industry reported a sales increase of 3.4% in January. Price increases rather than improved volumes were behind most of this advance.
StatsCan concluded by saying the transportation equipment industry was one of only four industries to report weaker sales in January. The decrease was led by aerospace product and parts production, which declined 3.4% in January, giving back a small portion of the 28.5% increase recorded the previous month.
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