This Manufacturing Insights study looks into the overall IT spending of Asia-based manufacturers, including what they are spending on and why, as well as what they plan to spend on in the next five years. Other than looking at the industry by geography and by IT category, this study also examines the manufacturing IT spending by major subindustry segments such as automotive, chemical, high-tech, and so forth.

"2005 was plagued by external environmental uncertainties globally and notably in the Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) or APEJ region, with high-profile events such as the repeated terrorist bombings in Bali, the Asia tsunami, numerous other natural disasters, and the Avian Flu. Despite the above-mentioned factors, rising oil prices, and ongoing geopolitical tensions, however, the APEJ region as a whole continued its recovery and stabilization economically since the late 1990s. The APEJ IT spending is expected to cross the US$20-billion mark by 2010 at a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% within the 2006-2010 forecast period," says Tan Mang Teck, research director, Asia/Pacific Manufacturing Research, Manufacturing Insights. "The APEJ region will continue to be a fast-growing regional economic block, powered by the emerging economic engines of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and India," he adds.