CCIP actively promoting Taiwan's first glass processing zone

Taipei, Feb. 16, 2005 (CENS)--Changhua Coastal Industrial Park (CCIP), one of the industrial parks in central Taiwan, is actively promoting its newly established special zone for glass processing, which is the first of its kind in Taiwan.

Currently some 12 manufacturers of glass & related products have already moved into the new special zone, including such leading glass makers as Fu-Hwa Glass Work, Taiwan Mirror Glass Enterprise (TMG) Ltd., and Taiwan Glass Industry Corp. So far the investment capital pumped into the zone totaled NT$5 billion (US$147.1 million at US$1 = NT$34).

Taiwan Glass's plant in CCIP produces mainly glass fiber cloths. The company has recently spent NT$2 billion (US$58.8 million) to build up a kiln in the zone to turn out sheet glass. The projected kiln is slated for official run in May of 2006, with a daily production capacity of 720 metric tons of sheet glass.

TMG, in addition to its existing plant in the park, has rented a land lot covering an area of 5.7 hectares in the special zone for setting up a museum to display glass products. Total investment in the museum is estimated at around NT$150 million (US$4.4 million) and the museum is scheduled for inauguration at the end of this year.

Fu-Hwa, a leading auto mirror maker on the island, recently purchased a 1.83-hectare land lot in the park to site its projected new plant.

Chiu Ching-chih, director of CCIP Service Center, disclosed that the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs has agreed to subsidize CCIP with NT$12 million (US$352,941) for the pavement of sidewalks inside the special zone. Besides, the Union Chemical Laboratories (UCL) of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has got a budget of NT$15 million (US$441,177) from the government for upgrading glass manufacturing technology, which can be transferred to manufacturers in the glass special zone.

There are some 2,400 glass processing firms in Taiwan, and more than 500 of them are located in central Taiwan, particularly in Changhua County and Taichung City & County as well. In the Taichung Harbor processing zone, there are two glass-burning kilns, with daily output of 1,100 metric tons of glass sheets, which is believed the world's most intensive manufacturing area for glass sheets.

Insiders believed that the output of the glass manufacturers in central Taiwan might account for 35% of Taiwan's total glass output if they strategically cooperate with related metal tube manufacturers there.