Manufacturing Sector Receipts Soar 23.3% to $300 Billion in 2024, Survey Reveals

Key statistics on business performance and operating characteristics of manufacturing, energy supply and waste management sectors in 2024

According to the results of the 2024 Annual Survey of Economic Activities - Manufacturing, Energy Supply and Waste Management Sectors released today (November 27) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the manufacturing sector's total receipts (comprising sales and other receipts) amounted to $300.0 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 23.3% compared with 2023; on a per company basis, total receipts increased by 25.4% compared with 2023 to $47.3 million in 2024.

Operating expenses and compensation of employees of the manufacturing sector altogether amounted to $283.3 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 24.9% compared with 2023; on a per company basis, they increased by 27.1% compared with 2023 to $44.7 million in 2024.

Gross surplus of the manufacturing sector, which is equal to total receipts less operating expenses and compensation of employees, increased by 1.3% compared with 2023 to $16.7 billion in 2024; on a per company basis, gross surplus increased by 3.1% compared with 2023 to $2.6 million in 2024. Gross surplus accounted for 5.6% of total receipts of this sector in 2024, down by 1.2 percentage point compared with 2023.

Industry value added of the manufacturing sector, which is a broad measure of its contribution to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product, increased by 1.7% compared with 2023 to $37.6 billion in 2024; on a per company basis, the industry value added was $5.9 million in 2024, which increased by 3.4% compared with 2023.

Within the manufacturing sector, the four largest industry groupings in terms of industry value added in 2024 were (1) food, beverages and tobacco, (2) metal products, machinery and equipment, (3) chemicals, rubber, plastics and non-metallic mineral products, and (4) paper products, printing and reproduction of recorded media. They together accounted for 90.1% of the industry value added of the manufacturing sector.

In the food, beverages and tobacco industry, total receipts amounted to $47.0 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $41.0 billion in 2024. Gross surplus amounted to $6.0 billion, accounting for 12.7% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added slightly increased by 0.7% compared with 2023 to $13.1 billion.

In the metal products, machinery and equipment industry, total receipts amounted to $199.1 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $195.2 billion in 2024. Gross surplus amounted to $3.8 billion, accounting for 1.9% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added increased by 3.7% compared with 2023 to $10.4 billion.

In the chemicals, rubber, plastics and non-metallic mineral products industry, total receipts amounted to $29.4 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $25.0 billion in 2024. Gross surplus amounted to $4.4 billion, accounting for 14.9% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added increased by 7.3% compared with 2023 to $6.9 billion.

In the paper products, printing and reproduction of recorded media industry, total receipts amounted to $10.5 billion while operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $9.4 billion in 2024. Gross surplus amounted to $1.2 billion, accounting for 11.0% of total receipts in 2024. Industry value added slightly decreased by 0.7% compared with 2023 to $3.6 billion.

Apart from the manufacturing sector, the survey also enumerated companies engaged in electricity and gas supply; and sewerage, waste management and remediation activities.

Total receipts of electricity and gas supply amounted to $78.5 billion, representing a slight increase of 0.5% over 2023. Operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $49.7 billion in 2024, representing a decrease of 4.1% compared with 2023. Gross surplus increased by 9.6% compared with 2023 to $28.8 billion in 2024. Gross surplus of electricity and gas supply accounted for 36.7% of total receipts in 2024, up by 3.0 percentage points compared with 2023. Industry value added increased by 12.3% over 2023 to $38.0 billion in 2024.

Total receipts of sewerage, waste management and remediation activities amounted to $6.4 billion, representing an increase of 2.0% over 2023. Operating expenses and compensation of employees totalled $5.5 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 2.1% over 2023. Gross surplus increased by 1.1% compared with 2023 to $0.8 billion in 2024. Gross surplus of sewerage, waste management and remediation activities accounted for 12.9% of total receipts in 2024, down by 0.1 percentage point compared with 2023. Industry value added increased by 6.4% over 2023 to $1.9 billion in 2024.

Selected statistics for manufacturing; electricity and gas supply; and sewerage, waste management and remediation activities are shown in the attached table.

More detailed survey results on manufacturing; electricity and gas supply; and sewerage, waste management and remediation activities will be given in the report "Key Statistics on Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Manufacturing, Energy Supply and Waste Management Sectors in 2024". Users can browse and download this report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080012&scode=310) as from end-December 2025.

For enquiries about the key statistics on business performance and operating characteristics of the manufacturing, energy supply and waste management sectors, please contact the Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7246; email: manufacturing@censtatd.gov.hk).

Photo source: The official website of C&SD

Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses

Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.

Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.

The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:

(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.

(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.

"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.

To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.

Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.

Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.

Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.

Source: AI-found images