By STEVE CHUANG The Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF), held biennially in Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Center) to highlight advanced machine tools and related technology developed in Japan and throughout the world, has built a reputation among professionals as one

The outstanding renminbi (RMB) deposits held by Taiwan’s domestic banks increased five billion RMB from a month earlier to 300.429 billion RMB at the end of September, according to Taiwan's central bank. H. H. Yen, deputy director general of Foreign Exchange Dept. of the central bank, attributes

Taiwan’s machine-tool makers show guarded optimism about their 2015 outlook, with over NT$10 billion (US$333.3 million) of combined orders booked and yet jittery about several potentially risky factors. According to the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), the U.S. government’s annou

Driven mainly by sales increase of imported cars again, overall new-car sales in Taiwan climbed 6.6% year-on-year (YoY) in October to 34,327 units, but down 1.2% from 34,746 units in the previous month, according to statistics compiled by Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC

Taiwan’s leading shoe makers, including Pou Chen Corp., Feng Tay Enterprise Co., and Fulgent Sun International Holding Co., witnessed an uptrend in revenues in the third quarter and are optimistic about the business climate in the fourth quarter. In September alone Pou Chen chalked up revenues o

Taiwan’s economic indicator flashed the eighth green in September, indicative of stable economy, with the composite scores down two to 27 points however, according to Taiwan's National Development Council (NDC). NDC uses a five-color gauge to show the island’s economic performance: green means

Taiwan’s two leading airline companies—China Airlines (CAL) and Eva Airways—posted encouraging revenue growths in Q3 despite both showing monthly drop in revenues in September. CAL posted revenues of NT$11.926 billion (US$397.53 million) in September, down 12.97% from a month earlier for the sec

Not too many people know that 12 out of every 100 tire valves in the world are made by the Taiwan-based Luhai Group, the world's largest maker of such product with factories in Taiwan, China (Xiamen and Kunshan), and Indonesia. But many people understand the safety-critical role these small devices

Hotai Motor Co. Ltd., Taiwan's agent of Toyota and Lexus and a major car vendor in Taiwan in the past 12 years, recently announced operational results for H1, including net earnings of NT$4.75 billion (US$158.2 million), up 25.7% YoY, and earnings per share (EPS) of NT$8.69 (US$0.29), compared to

Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., Taiwan Mobile Co., Ltd., and Far EasTone Telecom Co., Ltd. saw earnings in Jan.-Sept. top their targets. Chunghwa, Taiwan’s No.1 telecom carrier by revenue, earned NT$30.5 billion (US$1.01 billion), or NT$3.94 per diluted share, in after-tax net income, inching up 0.

To help Taiwanese manufacturers, exporters and traders explore world markets, CENS attended five global exhibitions in September, including Shanghai International Lighting Fair, International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), China International Furniture Expo, Furniture Manufacturing & Supply

To keep up with brisk growth, Rechi Precision Co., Ltd., world’s fourth-biggest supplier of compressors for air conditioners by shipment, has stepped up output expansion across Taiwan and China. Recently its board approved an investment of US$20 million in the first-phase construction of a fac

Fueled by strong shipments of iPhone 6, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., world’s largest EMS (electronics manufacturing service) firm by size and Apple Inc.’s major contract manufacturer of iPhone, saw consolidated revenue for September surge 51% month-on-month to NT$415.412 billion (US$13.84

With the US Fed Reserve delaying QE for some time to allay jitters in global markets, the new Indian prime minister promising to reform labor structure to boost its own economy, coupled with sub-US$85 per barrel oil prices and China pumping new liquidity into its economy, global economic prospects

By STEVE CHUANG For decades, Taiwanese tool manufacturers have earned a global reputation for supplying high-profile, innovative products backed by thoughtful services that have helped customers succeed. Some of them showcased their competitive products and services at Automechanika Frankfurt, t

Driven by mainly sales increase of imported cars, overall new-car sales in Taiwan climbed 20.1% year-on-year (YoY) in September to 34,746 units, according to statistics compiled by Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC). But sharp depreciation of the Japanese yen against

By MICHELLE HSU Whatever you call the space where you work at home--studio, workstation, home office--the furniture you use there is undergoing drastic changes along with the evolution of lifestyles and working habits brought on by the use of PCs and mobile devices. Advances in information, c

By MICHELLE HSU Lifestyle, a US-registered furniture company, made an inaugural appearance at Taiwan’s furniture show this year. Taiwanese consumers likely have never heard of the firm but its owner William Hsieh is known in Taiwan’s furniture industry. Hsieh's furniture empire in Taiwan floppe

By STEVE CHUANG Renowned as Asia’s largest, most important trade fair for plastics and rubber industries, the Taipei International Plastics & Rubber Industry Show (Taipei Plas) continued to live up to its reputation this year by attracting a record number of exhibitors who showed state-of-the-ar

By STEVE CHUANG Biennially held in Germany, Automechanika Frankfurt continues to be regarded as the world’s most successful, trend-setting trade fair for the automotive and related sectors, and its 2014 edition again saw many exhibitors with innovative products. This year’s Automechanika

Regardless of steep sales decrease in August, Taiwan’s photovoltaic manufacturers remain upbeat about market outlook in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2014. Most of the island’s solar-cell makers saw revenues drop to nearly one-year low this August due to increased inventory backlogs caused by Ameri

In August LED packaging house Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd. saw revenue hit fresh all-time high of NT$912 million (US$30.4 million), surging 13.59% from the previous month and 59.45% year on year to set new high for the second month. Company executives ascribe the persistent growth mostly to t

Taiwan’s foreign exchange reserves slightly dropped US$595 million from a month earlier to US$423.066 billion in August, yet making Taiwan remain the world’s fourth largest holder of forex reserves, next to China, Japan and Russia, according to Taiwan's central bank. The central bank attributes

Taiwan’s credit-card spending reached NT$179.6 billion (US$5.99 billion) in July, bringing such spending to a total of NT$1.1877 trillion (US$39.59 billion) during the first seven months of the year for an annual growth of 7.44%, according to statistics released by Financial Supervisory Commission

Mostly driven by recovering global market demand for notebook PCs, Asustek Computer Inc., a globally top-5 branded PC supplier, saw consolidated revenue in August hit an 8-month high of NT$42.164 billion (US$1.405 billion), a 4.91% increase compared to July and 3.1% growth over last August, accordi

A government-backed R&D institute of metalworking technology in Taiwan, Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) showcased micro metal parts, dies and molds developed with its “microprecision manufacturing technology” at the Taipei International Mold & Die Industry Fair 2014, held Au

Taiwan’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) of the manufacturing industry declined 3.1 from a month earlier to hit a three-month low of 55.4 in August, according to Taiwan's Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CHIER). Among the five factors that constitute the manufacturing PMI, new order

New-car sales in Taiwan typically dips during the Ghost Month in August, except this year that climbed 8.8% from a year earlier, or year-on-year (YoY) to 23,183 units, according to statistics compiled by Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC). Justin Su, president of auto

According to Taiwan's Department of Statistics of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), in Q2, 2014 Taiwan’s listed manufacturers' R&D investment totaled NT$131.6 billion (US$4.38 billion), up 7.9% year on year, contrasting fixed asset investment dropping 8% to NT$276.6 billion (US$9.2 billion).

Due to improving business climate, Taiwan’s employees received higher salaries in the first half (H1) of this year, with monthly salary, overtime pay, reward, and bonus posting annual growth of 4.11% in H1, the highest four-year growth, according to Taiwan's Directorate General of Budget, Accounti