Turkey: Industrial capacity usage at 75.4 pct in Oct.

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - The capacity utilization rate of Turkish manufacturing industry this month stands at 75.4 percent, the Turkish Central Bank said on Thursday.

The bank reported that the capacity utilization rate (CUR) showed a monthly decrease of 0.8 points month-on-month in October.

CUR figures are based on the responses given to the bank's business tendency survey by local units operating in the manufacturing industry.

A bank report said that while some 2,108 companies responded to the survey in July, the monthly data does not reflect the bank’s views or predictions.

Among more than 20 sectors, the highest capacity usage was seen in the manufacturing of wood and wood/cork products -- excluding furniture -- and also in motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, which both had rates of 82.25 percent in October.

The lowest CUR was seen in the leather and related products sector, with 55.83 percent.

On the main industrial groups side, the highest CUR was 78.8 percent for investment goods, while the lowest capacity usage was 72 percent in durable consumer goods.

Last year, the average capacity usage in the manufacturing industry was 78.5 percent. Over the past five years, the highest CUR was last November with 79.9 percent, and the lowest was 73.5 percent in February 2013.