Tongtai Machine & Tool Partners with Three Universities, Targets Top-20 Status

The machine-tool maker Tongtai Machine & Tool Co. recently entered into partnerships with the National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, Cheng Shiu University, and National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology with the objective of entering the ranks of the world's top-20 machine-tool makers in 2020. At that time, its revenues are projected to reach NT$20 billion (US$666 million at NT$30:US$1).

Under the partnership agreements, the company will provide students of the three universities with internships and systematic training before they graduate, effectively shaving the time needed to train post-graduation interns from three years to just one year. For Tongtai, the main payoff is an abundant source of post-secondary school-trained engineers to help it reach its 2020 goal.

Company chairman J.H. Yen said that Tongtai and the three universities will jointly plan and conduct training programs, and will work together on the development of new products and new technologies.

The chairman pointed out that the formation of the partnerships was prompted by a growing shortage of mid- and high-end engineers for Taiwan's machine tool industry, despite the fact that Taiwan has emerged as the world's No. 4 machine-tool exporter.

Yen emphasized that his company insists on keeping its roots in Taiwan and is actively involved in government-financed R&D projects. In each of the past five years, he said, Tongtai has invested lavishly in R&D projects.

Tongtai's university partnerships closely follow a similar deal that Hiwin Technologies Corp. (currently the world's No. 2 ballscrew maker) signed with the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and National Taichung Industrial High School, further underscoring the worsening shortage of higher-educated workers for Taiwan's  machine-tool industry. (KL)