Uruguay Manufacturing Output Jumps

Uruguay’s manufacturing output rose 7.7% year-on-year in September 2026, following a 4.8% rise in August. This market the highest growth rate recorded since March. The expansion was driven mainly by a 10,153.8% surge in petroleum refining, as ANCAP’s refinery was offline for repairs in September 2025. Excluding the refinery, output rose 1.8%. Food products increased 3.3% and paper products 3.1%. Beverages fell 17.0% , printing and recording reproduction -22.8%, and pharmaceuticals -2.5% . The Index of Hours Worked fell 2.9% and the Employment Index 2.8%. Output edged down 0.4% month-over-month. Yea- to-date, output rose 3.8%, while the 12-month average was 2.9%. Capacity utilization stood at 66.4%, slightly above 65.7% a year earlier.

Uruguay’s industrial production rose 4.8% year over year in August 2026. The increase was driven primarily by a 136.1% surge in petroleum refining, contributing 3.8 percentage points to overall growth, partly reflecting a low base as ANCAP’s refinery was offline for repairs during part of August 2025. Food products manufacturing rose 5.4%, contributing 2.3 percentage points, while paper and paper products increased 4.4%. In contrast, beverage manufacturing slumped 30.5%, making the largest negative contribution, followed by computer, electronic and optical products (-90.1%) and chemicals (-5.6%). Meanwhile, the Index of Hours Worked rose 0.3%, while the Employment Index fell 0.9%. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, industrial production increased 0.4%. Year to date, output rose 3.3%.

Uruguay’s industrial production rose 4.2% year over year in July 2026, following a 5.4% increase in June. The growth was driven primarily by a 10.5% rise in food products manufacturing, followed by pharmaceutical products, which increased 7.0%, and paper and paper products, which rose 6.4%. The division with the largest negative contribution to the year-over-year change in industrial output was beverage manufacturing, which slumped 32.4%. Meanwhile, the Index of Hours Worked by Workers increased 2.6%, while the Employment Index declined 0.1%. On a monthly basis, industrial production fell 1.0% in July.