RSZ of Russia visiting Taiwan to procure machine tool parts

Taipei, March 2, 2004 (CENS)--With the assistance of the semi-official Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), top executives of Ryazan Macine Tool Plant Co. (RSZ) of Russia are visiting Taiwan for the first time to procure domestically made mechanical components and parts.

TAITRA will today help RSZ arrange a procurement seminar at its office in Taichung, central Taiwan, at which the firm's top executives will brief participants on the machine tool market in Russia and then conduct trade negotiations with local suppliers of machine tool parts.

During their one-week stay in Taiwan, RSZ executives will call on some machine-tool plants located in central Taiwan. The Russian company has shown strong desire to penetrate the East European market.

In addition to procuring mechanical components and parts, the Russian producer of machine tools has expressed keen interest in cooperating with Taiwanese firms to develop East European market, said TAITRA chairman Hsu Chih-jen.

Ranking fifth in the world's machine tool sector in terms of production value, Taiwan is famous for supplying high-quality machinery and related components and parts at reasonable prices.

Hsu noted the cooperation with RSZ will help domestic manufacturers to penetrate the East European market as the Russian company owns well-established distribution channels there. He confirmed domestic manufacturers of machine tools have much strength to compete with rival producers of the U.S., Japan and Europe in the East European market.

Founded 55 years ago, RSZ is one of Russia's large-sized producers of machine tools. The Russian firm has so far produced more than 125,000 machine tools, which have been exported to 75 nations world-wide.

It is expected RSZ will procure such machine-tool components and parts as jigs and fixtures, tools, hydraulic devices, lubricating systems, programmable controllers, and power systems. On March 4 and 5, the company will also have talks with domestic producers of milling machines, lathes and machining centers for cooperative production.

TAITRA said it is now negotiating with a sales agent of Turkey, which owns a large-sized display center, to procure Taiwan-made machine tools. The Turkish company is expected to visit the Taipei International Plastics & Rubber Industry Show (Taipei Plas 2004) slated for March 18-21 at the Taipei World Trade Center. TAITRA will push the Turkish company to procure domestically made plastics and rubber machinery. TAITRA estimated around 30 large-sized foreign procurement groups will come to Taiwan to purchase domestically made machinery this year.