Taiwan's Laser Industry Cluster Forms in the South

Taipei, Dec. 19, 2012 (CENS)--An industry association comprising members from Taiwan's private sector, academic circle, and R&D institutes is pushing for the formation of the island's laser-technology industry cluster in the Southern Taiwan Science Park.

So far, the association has convinced at least 10 laser-related manufacturers to open workshop in the park. These manufacturers, including Tailift Co., Ltd., Central Technology Co., Ltd., Tongtai Machine & Tool Co., Ltd., Laser Tek Taiwan Co., Ltd., Asia Tree Technology Co., Ltd., Detek Technology Inc., and Gallant Precision Machining Co., Ltd., are broken into five categories: high-power laser application, laser micromachining application, laser application, laser additive manufacturing application, and microscopic detection application.

The association plans to cultivate 10 clusters in the initial stage, which ends in 2016, with the aim of boosting industry revenue to NT$20 billion (US$689 million at US$1: NT$29) from current NT$4 billion (US$137 million) islandwide.

According to Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Taiwan Branch of the government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), S.C. Hsu, the association will likely convince several leading Japanese manufacturers to open production facilities in the park next year.