Geoffrey Scotton,
Calgary Herald

Published: Monday, March 17, 2008

CALGARY
- Alberta’s manufacturing sector started 2008 on a financially positive
note, with the value of shipments from the province’s factories,
refineries and assembly facilities rising 0.9 per cent from January
2007 to more than $5.5 billion.

The positive performance in
January followed an annual gain in 2007, when the sector posted record
output for the fifth consecutive year despite year-end weakness, with
sales for the year rising about one per cent to more than $67 billion.

January’s
rebound in Alberta from a 1.2 per cent drop in December - the fourth
decline in five months - was led by gains among energy products,
Statistics Canada said. The gains were attributable to improved prices.

“Manufacturing sales in the western provinces were led by Alberta
(up 0.9 per cent) in January, as a two-per-cent price increase assisted
petroleum and coal product manufacturers in the stalwart oil patch,”
StatsCan said in an analysis.

Manufacturing shipments also picked
up nationally in January, rising 1.3 per cent to $49.3 billion from
December, when the country posted a three-year low, marked by a
3.7-per-cent decline from the previous month. Despite the
month-to-month improvement, January’s overall sales were the lowest
since March 2005.

gscotton@theherald.canwest.com

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