2013 TIMTOS Showcases Taiwan's Tool Tech Edge

Providing a networking hub for participants to keep abreast of the latest industrial trends and innovative technologies

The 2013 Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS) drew a record turnout during its six-day run from March 5 to 10, confirming its place as Asia's second largest and the world's fifth largest machine tool show.

This year's show presented a broad array of products, from cutting, forming, plate-metal and tube and wire processing tools to controllers, parts and accessories, and casting and forging machining. It also provided a networking hub for participants to keep abreast of the latest industrial trends and innovative technologies.

The 2013 TIMTOS was held with support from Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI) at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Halls 1, 2, and 3 and the Nangang Exhibition Center.

Record Turnout
The number of buyers at the 2013 TIMTOS rose by 29.8% to 6,583, among which the domestic buyer total increased by 12.4% to a new high. A total of 1,009 exhibitors presented their products at 5,372 booths. In addition to the local exhibitors, the show drew 248 exhibitors from 16 countries including the U.S., Germany, Australia, Japan, and Switzerland. The ten countries with the largest number of buyers are mainland China, Japan, Malaysia, S. Korea, Thailand, India, the U.S., Turkey, Singapore, and Indonesia.

A TAITRA representative said that, based on the general consensus among exhibitors, the value of orders received during the 2013 TIMTOS grew by 20-30% from the previous year, generating an estimated US$2.5~2.6 billion in business opportunities. The one-on-one procurement meetings attracted 55 buyers from 14 countries including Germany, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Algeria, Bulgaria, Holland, Poland, Ukraine, India, Italy, and China (together with Hong Kong), with US$30.48 million in follow-up orders.

About 30% of the visitors came from markets targeted by the Ministry of Economic Affair's (MOEA), such as China, India, Turkey, Russia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, underscoring the show's success as an essential procurement platform for emerging countries.

During the 2013 TIMTOS, exhibitors from Taiwan demonstrated their achievements from years of efforts in developing advanced machine tools.

Jan Far Machinery Industrial Co., Ltd.
For nearly three decades since its establishment, Jan Far Machinery Industrial Co., Ltd. has specialized in tube processing and tube-processing machinery on original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and custom order terms. It has several well-known customers, including Hitachi (Taiwan) and Kaohsiung Rapid Transit. The firm can provide high-end processing of specialty and large-sized tubes, including one-piece tubes without corrugation.

The firm showcased a comprehensive range of equipment at TIMTOS this year, including the world's first NC single-cylinder linear 3-axis punching machine with three-sided simultaneous processing controlled by an advanced server. According to the firm's manager Christine Chen, Jan Far's NC digital flange forming machine is an industry-leading product globally and meets the strict requirements of the semiconductor industry.

Kugi Tech Corp.
Kugi Tech Corp. exhibited a variety of world-class high-speed tool magazines during the show. The firm provides products on a customized and small-batch, large-variety production model to customers worldwide, especially in mainland China.

"In China, Kugi is the only market option for high-speed tool changers", said the firm's general manager Eddison Liu. Kugi has successfully transformed into a modular industrial solution provider offering integrative production of tool changers, machine body, and spindles. "The China market is steadily recognizing the production efficiency gains achievable from high-speed tool changers. We aim to bring such kind of products back to Taiwan to boost the technological edge of local makers," Liu said.

Apex Dynamics Inc.
As an industrial leader of speed reducers and robots for injection molding machines, Apex supplies products with a more than 90% self-production rate of key parts and components. The company exhibited its high-end single motor-driven power tool turret at this year's TIMTOS. The turret features low maintenance cost and machining interference and has a 95% self-production rate.

"We are confident that this machine is on par technologically with comparable products made in Germany, Japan, and Italy," said Arthur Kuo, vice president of sales at Apex.

Forwell Precision Machinery Co.
Other eye-catching products at the show this year were the quick mold-change systems for injection molding machines and mold casting machines displayed by Forwell Precision Machinery Co., one of Taiwan's leading suppliers in this product segment.

"We offer integrated services for mold storage, transportation, and management and help customers to reduce labor inputs and improve productivity through standardized mold-change systems," the firm's sales manager S.H. Lin stated.

Forwell Precision's mold-change systems can be fitted to a range of mold clamping systems for automatic machines such as punch presses, injection molding machines and due casting machines, PCB fine piercing systems, and many die clamp systems. Lin said that the firm's products can help customers to improve manufacturing efficiency by 10-20%.

Gin Chan Machinery Co., Ltd.
Gin Chan Machinery Co., Ltd., a specialized manufacturer of precision accessories for grinding machines and milling machines, displayed its 'GIN' brand of punch formers at the show.

The firm's PFH350 precision punch former for surface grinding machines has a strong compact structure with tough hole design for durable and ejector pins to be clamped in processing and v-block clamping design to accurately stabilize workpieces. The former also uses high-precision double bearings to increase stability.

L&L Machinery Industry Co., Ltd.
L&L Machinery Industry Co., Ltd.'s innovative LL Series CNC lathe was another crowd-winner at the show. The patented lathe is rare in Taiwan for its extra-long workpiece. The machine combines milling function, with 750/950 mm in max cutting diameter and 3,000~16,000 mm in Z-axis stroke.

"Our business grew strongly in 2012 thanks to a customer-oriented policy, innovation, and continuous improvements in management, manpower, and production procedures," said the general manager George Lin. "We are careful in our choice of distributors to ensure our customers receive the best quality service. This has earned us the trust of long-time customers, who continue to introduce new customers for us."

"L&L is expanding its production capacity in Taiwan to broaden its service scope and grow market share. We are also dedicating resources to cultivate human resource talent," Lin said. "We believe these improvements will pay off in the near future," he added.

CNC-Takang Company Ltd.
CNC-Takang Company Ltd. presented its heavy duty CNC lathe at TIMTOS this year, piquing visitors with its outstanding functions, innovative design, and full torque output at 11rpm spindle speeds.

"Instead of mass and standardized manufacturing, we focus on customized and flexible production to closely meet customer needs," said the firm's technical director C.C. Chen. CNC-Takang has also started to develop energy-saving products ahead of rivals in order to meet industrial demand in the U.S. and Europe. "We've developed products with high torque driven by low horsepower. They are especially applicable in aviation industry due to the outstanding surface smoothness they achieve," Chen indicated.

CNC-Takang expects revenues from mainland China in the first four months of this year to beat the company's performance in that market for all of 2012. Chen is optimistic about the industrial climate in the second half and is confident that his firm will enjoy a banner year in 2013.

Outlook of Taiwan's Machine Tool Industry
Asian countries are steadily replacing Europe and the U.S. as the world's major machine tool manufacturers, a trend that has been especially pronounced in mainland China, Japan, S. Korea, and Taiwan. The production value of machine tools contributed from Asia countries accounted for 60% of the world total in 2012, according to TAMI.

The production value of machine tools in Taiwan reached US$5.43 billion in 2012. Exports in the segment increased by 5.9% increase year on year (YoY) to US$4.23 billion, the third highest in the world. TAMI Chairman S.T. Hsu thinks that exports in the sector could grow by another 5~10% in 2013. However, the NT dollar to U.S. dollar exchange rate remains an uncertain indicator, while the depreciation of the Korean won and the Japanese yen could also have an impact on the competitiveness of Taiwan-made machine tools.

Outlook of Taiwan's Machine Tool Industry
TAMI President J.C. Wang noted that the depreciation of the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar has provided Japanese machine manufacturers with an exchange rate edge and may prompt them to reduce orders to Taiwanese suppliers in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Moreover, South Korean rivals wield an advantage over Taiwanese manufacturers in the European Union, United States and India after having signed free trade agreements with those trade partners. 

In response to intense competition, Alan Lu, chairman of Machine Tool Committee at TAMI, suggested that domestic manufacturers cooperate with the government should develop high-end products, such as composite machining centers, 5-axis machining centers, controllers and software, and key parts and components with core technologies. Taiwan's government should also aggressively support the local machine tool industry by accelerating free trade agreements and flexibly adjusting exchange rate policies.

The next TIMTOS is scheduled to be held on March 3~5 in 2015, and there are already high expectations of another record show.