TIMTOS 2005 to see record number of exhibition booths at TWTC

Taipei, Feb. 24, 2005 (CENS)--A total of 599 exhibitors, including 108 from abroad, will take part in the 2005 Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS) slated for March 15-20 at the Taipei World Trade Center, with the number of booths to hit a record high of 2,660 booths, up 30% from the preceding edition in 2003, according to the show organizer Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).

TAMI noted the number of the contenders in the research, development & innovation competition at the biennial show would be the largest than ever before. Twenty-three items of 22 firms have been singled out for final competition at the show. The organizer stressed the show would demonstrate the vitality of domestic machine-tool industry.

The competition is divided into three categories, including machining centers, NC (numerically controlled) lathes, and other NC machine tools. Entrants into the machining-center category are Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., Awea Mechantronic Co., Yeong Chin Machinery Industry Co., Kao Ming Machinery Industrial Co., Leadwell CNC Machines Mfg. Co., Dah Lin Machinery Industry Co., Quaser Machine Tools Inc., and Kao Fong Machinery Co.

Those in the NC-lathe category are Fair Friend Ent. Co., Far East Machinery Co., Lico Machinery Co., Leadwell CNC Machines Mfg. Co., Goodway Machine Corp., You Ji Machine Industrial Company Ltd., and Ann Yang Machinery Co.

Those entering the category of other NC machine tools include Matech Industrial Co., Shing Teck Machinery Works Co., Ping Jeng Machinery Industrial Co., Falcon Machine Tools Co., Kontec Precision Industrial Co., Chin Fong Machine Industrial Co., Ching Hung Machinery & Electric Industrial Co., and Chin Chih Pin Industrial Co.

According to Fred P.C. Huang, chairman of the TAMI, Taiwan was the world's sixth-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of machine tools in 2003 with production value and exports amounting to US$2.08 billion and US$1.67 billion, respectively. Last year, Taiwan exported and imported US$2.249 billion and US$1.978 billion worth of machinery last year, up 34% and 130% year-on-year, respectively.

TAMI vice president Wang Cheng-ching noted domestic participants in the show would display many machines driven by linear motors. Wang said some domestic machine-tool makers are capable of rolling out linear-motor machine tools after two years of development, and the linear motors they have developed can well match the operations of CNC controllers and related software.

He said linear motor can drive machine tool at a high speed of 90 meters per minute and conventional servo motor, only 30 to 50 meters. He firmly said the successful development of high-speed linear motor would help domestic manufacturers elevate their international competitiveness.

In addition, the complex lathes, which can do machining job on Y-axis, have become the mainstay of domestically made lathes as domestic machine-tool manufacturers have obtained mature manufacturing skill in this field.