Innovative Bathroom Items Keep Taiwan's Makers Competitive

Digital thermometer for faucets is obviously in demand

Focused on improvement of products and manufacturing, the Taiwanese bathroom and kitchen fitting industry has come a long way since originating in Taiwan's central county of Changhua more than a half century ago, also helping to drive exports on the island. Uncertain economic growth in 2013 motivates operators to keep following this strategy.

Taiwan's faucet and bathroom fittings production began in the small borough of Dingfanpo in Changhua, having grown into the major economic player in the region, where over 1,000 companies and upstream suppliers cluster in an integrated supply chain. According to insiders, more than 4,000 CNC (computer numerically controlled) lathes and machining centers hum daily to roll out products.

Chen Chi-cheng, chairman of the Plumbing Association of Taiwan, says that Taiwan has an even higher density of plumbing fittings manufacturers than Japan and Italy. At present, Taiwan exports kitchen and plumbing products worth around NT$60 billion (about US$1.875 billion) annually, with up to 80% of which made in Changhua. A school of thought, he says, is that the industry has maintained sustainable development for decades-long devotion to R&D, which is reflected in the following new products introduced by makers, who were interviewed by CENS.

Geann Industrial

kona® Ozone Series

The launch of kona® Ozone series faucets, a brand by Geann Industrial Co., Ltd. and veteran maker of cartridges with more than 30 years of experience in Changhua, indicates that the industry is also developing higher-end products with an eye on users' wellbeing and eco-protection.

Ogawa Wang, the branding manager of kona, says that this series, mainly for kitchens, is noted for  incorporating ozone generators as the first of its kind worldwide. Integration of ozone generators in faucets, Wang says, calls for elaborate structural redesign and extensive technology upgrades, which demanded his company to spend considerable time and are patented in the U.S. and Taiwan.

According to Wang, the core technology used involves the so-called cellular air-fluid mixing, which effectively mixes ozone particles with water without many bubbles generated to reduce ozone emissions, as well as enables a faucet to produce ozone-containing water copiously as soon as it is turned on, compared to ordinary models connected to independent ozone generators that need a few minutes to mix ozone with water that flows inadequately sometimes.

“Thanks to this technology and Geann's seasoned know-how of cartridges, ozone emission from mixed water has very low PPMs that meet U.S.'s FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requirements and NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards), so won't harm users' health. And ecologically this series is a green product, as using ozone water to clean food, cutlery, blankets that easily breed bacteria is more eco-friendly than detergents, because ozone is a natural, nontoxic bactericide, as well as deoxidizing to help food preservation,” says Wang.

Additionally, all faucets are developed with an improved structure, which effectively enhances electrical safety by separating water flow from cables, with lead-free copper used and stylish exterior coupled with value-added finishing.

Wang proudly states that the Fashion 4-way Dingle-lever Ozone Kitchen Faucet and Fashion 3-Way Single-lever Ozone Kitchen Faucet both won the Taiwan Excellence Awards in 2011 and 2012, and are highly regarded amid buyers worldwide.

ona® Eco Series
Asides from the Ozone series, the company also promotes its kona® Eco series faucets, which are made of recyclable composite material. Wang says that only a few Taiwanese makers venture into composite material for faucets, for it takes resources to change production processes and facilities originally for copper faucets. But tapping its R&D skills, Geann has successfully worked out production methodologies and modular parts to turn out the Eco series faucets more efficiently.

Besides, the company applies improved surface coating process, making such products visually attractive and diverse (some even have metallic finish) to be more marketable. “kona® Eco series all are metal-free and therefore are more eco-friendly and cost-efficient than ordinary copper faucets, which generate considerable business potential,” says Wang. The series is available for basins, kitchen sinks, and showers.

Amid concerns about industry outlook, Wang is optimistic about Geann's business prospects in 2013, partly because of new product launches, and partly the promising development of its own brands, which are sold via distributors in North, Central and South Americas and the Middle East.

“kona will release more products for both commercial and residential use to broaden its portfolio and keep expanding distribution channels worldwide to secure sustainable growth. In the meantime, Geann will remain focused on OEM (original equipment manufacturing) of cartridges and related parts, which are the company's bread and butter,” says Wang.

Handy-Age Industrial
A digital temperature display for faucets and showerheads, Temp Care is also the latest product developed by Handy-Age Industrial Co., Ltd., a 32-year-old, versatile supplier of bathroom fittings, healthcare instruments, and various industrial supplies, to tap the growing trend in healthcare products.

Alex Young, the manager, says that the company was inspired to launch this device for many people are scalded by hot water when casually turning on shower faucets especially in winter. “In many cases, hoteliers are legally required to compensate sizably clients for being scalded by hot water in rooms. So there is obviously a demand for temperature displays for faucets and showerheads,” says Young.

Another factor is the relationship between water temperature and good skincare, so Temp Care has huge business potential in the personal care product segment, says Young, who cites dermatologists' suggestion that facial cleaning calls for ideal water temperature of 32-35 Celsius, while babies should bathe in warm water of 36-38 Celsius to prevent skin problems.

According to Young, Temp Care is built with a Japan-made sensor, an LCD display, IC controls and precision electronic parts 100% made in Taiwan for accurate temperature measurements, also being easy to install on nearly 80% of existing faucets and showerheads due to special cap thread design. Furthermore and mainly due to the integration of a high-performance, miniature hydro-powered generator, this device works for three years without batteries and cable connection.

“Temp Care is one of only a few devices of this kind with clear, accurate digital readings of temperature on market for now. Furthermore, temperature measurements are updated per second based on water flow to allow users real-time and offline monitoring.” The device comes with a wrench to facilitate installation and is easy to remove and clean, thanks to its improved structural design that prevents water stains and impurities from remaining in the mechanism.

Patented
With excellent functionality and quality, the product is patented in China, Japan, Germany, and Taiwan, having won the gold and silver prize at the Taipei International Invention Show in 2011 and 2012, respectively, the gold prize at the Invention New Product Exposition in Pittsburg, the U.S., in 2012, and a foreign invention award at the Japan DIY Homecenter Show in 2012.

“We plan to build a beeper alarm and backlit display in the Temp Care and make it smaller to enhance safety and utility. Hopefully, we will ship it in large volumes starting in October to build sales for Handy-Age,” says Young.

As to the industry's future, Young shrugs off pessimism, reasoning that the company has seen an influx of returning orders originally going to China in recent years, from foreign buyers who are tired of poor-quality suppliers from emerging countries. “Handy-Age will strengthen its partnerships with contractors and boost global presence to achieve bigger sales in the years to come.”

Giant Home Bath Accessories Co.
While many downstream manufacturers in the industry develop new products and brands, some step up honing competitive edge to stay in pace with customers.

One of such companies Giant Home Bath Accessories Co., Ltd., a Changhua-based manufacturer of bathroom accessories, including storage racks, towel racks, soap holders, tissue holders, mirrors and mirror parts, storage stands, toilet tissue holders, shower equipment, soap dispensers, and towel holders, shelves and hooks, with two factories in Taiwan.

Giant Home's manager Hsin Yeh says that the company has more than 40 years of experience in metal processing of bathroom fittings and is especially versed in tube bending, CNC lathing and molding. The company is knowledgeable about copper, stainless steel, aluminum and zinc alloy, hence enjoying high regard among downstream customers both at home and abroad since its establishment about two decades ago.

Yeh continues, based on observations, that Taiwan's bathroom and kitchen fittings industry in Changhua experienced harsher business in 2012 than the aftermath of the global financial tsunami in 2009, partly because of weak demand in developed countries in Europe, forcing most customers to slow restocking in response to cautious outlook. By contrast, Yeh says that Giant Home achieved robust growth in revenue in the year, with 60% of which generated by shipment to the U.S. and 30% from Europe.

Custom Manufacturing
Yeh credits the growth mainly to the company's custom manufacturing capability, timely services to help customers with product and market development. For instance, the company has had close business ties with a foreign brand for years, whose 700-plus bathroom fitting collection is well served by the maker's flexible manufacturing and all-around services. “We make the most of our experience and production to assist this large customer to gain market share. Sometimes, we provide customers solutions to problems, not just goods, a philosophy that helps Giant Home to build ever-growing clientele,” says Yeh.

As the market has changed due to global economic fluctuations following 2008, Yeh believes that Taiwanese contract manufacturers of bathroom fittings will likely land new orders worldwide in the near future, because of an unparalleled industry cluster in Changhua that can satisfy increasingly demanding customers more effectively, also enabling risk sharing and better coordination with clients' plans to develop new products and markets. Plus, he emphasizes the importance of consistently upgrading production, which is vital for contract makers to go upmarket and ensure sustainable development.