April's manufacturing sales resurgence was mainly attributable to higher sales of transportation equipment (+4.1%) and primary metals (+4.7%). PHOTO: Cooper Standard.
Following a 1.8% decline in March, total manufacturing sales increased 1.1% to $70.8 billion in April, on higher sales in 12 of 21 subsectors, Statistics Canada’s Monthly Survey of Manufacturing indicates.
The increase was mainly attributable to higher sales of transportation equipment (+4.1%), primary metals (+4.7%), and chemical products (+4.0%). The gain was partially offset by lower production in the aerospace product and parts industry group (-6.8%).
Sales in constant dollars rose 0.4% in April, indicating that a higher volume of goods was sold. The Industrial Product Price Index increased 1.5% in April, the third consecutive monthly increase.
Following a 7.9% decline in March, sales of motor vehicles increased 5.6% to $4.8 billion in April, while sales of motor vehicle parts rose 7.7%. Despite the ongoing retooling at some auto assembly plants, certain auto manufacturers sold more motor vehicles in April. On a year-over-year basis, total sales were down 1.4% in the motor vehicle industry group and 6.4% in the motor vehicle parts industry group. Despite higher manufacturing sales, the exports of motor vehicles and parts declined 2.2% in April.
Sales rose 4.7% to $5.6 billion in the primary metal subsector in April, largely on higher sales in the non-ferrous metal (except aluminum) production and processing industry group (+15.7%). Sales of primary metal products in constant dollars rose 1.8%. Prices for primary non-ferrous metal products marked the largest monthly increase since March 2022, rising 8.3% in April 2024. Higher demand for precious metals and other non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum contributed to the increase.
Production declined 6.8% to $2.3 billion in the aerospace product and parts industry group in April, following the highest production on record in March ($2.5 billion). Despite the decline in April, production of aerospace products and parts was 9.8% higher compared with the same month a year earlier.
