ENG-1997 — Page 165

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Hong Kong printers are investing substantially in advanced machinery and equipment and are shifting in recent years the labour-intensive production processes to the Mainland of China. The use of state-of-the-art equipment, especially those employing digital technology, has enabled the industry to raise quality and productivity to new levels. Some of the more sophisticated printing companies and publishers have already started using such equipment as digital colour pre-press and printing systems.

Domestic exports of printed matter decreased in value terms by 0.4 per cent over the previous year. Material printed locally with a total value of $4.8 billion was exported, with the USA, the Mainland of China, the UK, Taiwan and Australia being the major export markets. Books, pamphlets, newspapers, journals and periodicals accounted for 68 per cent of exports of printed products. Overall, the printing and publishing industries contributed 9 per cent of the manufacturing sector's gross output.

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