Taipei AMPA 2008 Shifts Taiwan Suppliers' Potential Into Overdrive
2008/08/25 | By Steve ChuangThe Taipei Auto Parts & Accessories Show (Taipei AMPA) owes its repeated success to the virtually proven R&D capability, innovation, and flexible production willingness of Taiwan-based suppliers, as well as to the seasoned expertise of TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council), the semi-state-run trade promotion body, which consistently organizes the world-influential trade fair to show the best side of exhibitors.
TAITRA statistics show that Taipei AMPA 2008 drew 937 companies occupying 2,492 booths, growing 13.58% and 29.96%, respectively, from 825 companies and 1,919 booths posted in 2007. A considerable number of foreign buyers were recorded-totaling some 5,000, with 18.81% from Japan, 10.39% from the U.S., 7.42% from Malaysia, 5.81% from Korea and 4.13% from Singapore.
Opening Ceremony
Reflecting its influence, the opening ceremony at Taipei AMPA attracted a handful of dignitaries, Taiwan government officials, and hundreds from international press, helping to add weight to this world-leading auto parts and accessories fair.
Chao Yuen-chuan, president of TAITRA, major organizer of Taipei AMPA, said at the opening speech that this year TAITRA has successfully built further the show's global presence-having invited big-name buyers, such as TRW, Chrysler, Magna Shanghai, Agco of the U.S, ArvinMerritor and Federal Mogul, to explore business opportunities. Attendance by the industry's leading players generally achieve the magnet effect-attracting wide-ranging suppliers due to perceived optimism-and this year's Taipei AMPA was no exception.
Chao said that the 2008 Taipei AMPA, thanks to being held the first time at the Nangang Exhibition Hall, has grown twice as big: The new venue has 144,000 square meters, large enough to accommodate 2,600 standard 9-square-meter booths or double that at the older TWTC Exhibition Hall 1 adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Besides being an exclusive products and services show, Taipei AMPA was also educational as well as a venue to give credit where it is due, with the AMPA Innovation Awards, E-Taiwanese Automobile Industry Theme Pavilion, E-Taiwanese Automobile Industry Forum and Taiwan Automotive Int'l Forum (TAIFE) included as part of its four-day programs. Such events serve a useful purpose to offer practical, up-to-date industry information to attendees.
Following Chao's opening remarks, Liu Yi-cheng, chairman of Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association, pointed out Taiwan-based suppliers' remarkable flexibility in production and longtime pursuit of high product quality and added value, which have helped them to find solid footholds in the global market.
Also, MOEA's vice minister Hsieh Fadah expressed optimism about the prospect of the Taiwan auto parts sector, being reassured to see the increasing popularity of "Made-In-Taiwan" auto parts sold globally. In other words, Taiwan suppliers' continual achievement of innovative technology and excellent quality are paying off.
Hsieh said that the government has been doing its utmost to assist Taiwan-based makers to move upmarket, also producing parts for energy-saving cars, hybrid vehicles and auto electronics in recent years, and the MOEA is playing a key role to back them to compete against foreign rivals.
Attention-getting Products
True to its tradition of being a versatile trade show, Taipei AMPA 2008 offered a huge product range, including auto lamps, LED lamps, wheels, suspension system parts, chassis systems parts, braking parts, valves, seals, tires, body parts, mirrors, auto electronics racks, car seats and related accessories.
TYC Brother Industrial broke the mold to add a relaxed mood to its display, which was set up as a cafe, while the supplier offered auto lamps, including LED headlights, to successfully draw buyers' attention. Moreover, Depo also showcased a full range of auto lamps, including energy-miserly headlights as HID (high-density discharge) lamps and LED lamps, while Just Top Corporation showed fruits from its R&D: LED truck light series and LED brake lamps.
World's First
Advanced auto electronics were among the hottest displays at Taipei AMPA, with Grand View Technology Co., Ltd., Chi Mei EL Corp. (CMEL) and Maction Technologies Inc. unveiling the world's first OLED (organic light-emitting diode)-based DVD GPS (global positioning system) device for car navigation.
This OLED GPS is the culmination of the teamwork between Taiwan's IT (information technology) and auto electronic sectors, which features an OLED display panel newly developed by CMEL, and equipped with Maction's newest Papago R17 navigation system. The world's first OLED GPS device, with a 4.3-inch screen, is proof of the considerable technological prowess wielded by the electronics and auto parts sectors on the island.
Exclusive Supplier of Bent Fittings
Having spent five years learning specifications and technology in the U.S., Golden Bloom unveiled a wide range of bent fittings, stainless steel braided hoses and alloy hose ends, confirming it as Taiwan's exclusive supplier in the field. The company claims that its bent fittings are SAE-approved and fully comply with U.S. military standards, as they feature the most optimal combination of lightweight, high-pressure resistance, safety and thermal dissipation characteristics.
These bent fittings are all surface anodized for better malleability, insulation and thermal dissipation. Besides, anodizing aluminum turns out bent fittings in a range of tones, which help users easily color-identify the fluid flowing within the hose attached, making them ideal as parts for racing car applications. Golden Bloom's high-end bent fittings and hose ends are very popular among buyers from the U.S., Japan and China.
TAIFE 2008
As one of the most important platforms to share industry intelligence and information with insiders in Taiwan, TAIFE 2008, organized by the government-funded TARC (Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium), an institute engaged in resource integration among enterprises, academia and the government to bolster the development of Taiwan's automotive sector, featured the theme "harmonious interaction among humans, cars and the environment."
Nissan's Yamashita and Hyundai's Kim both discussed the development of new fuel technology and innovative design which are either adaptive to different cultures and societies globally, or compliant with eco-protecting standards, are the key to meet quickly changing global trends. Also, Dr. Shih highlighted the importance of CAE (computer aided engineering) as a design tool, which can help to develop and test new suspension parts efficiently and effectively to achieve optimal balance between driver comfort and performance of suspension parts.
Taiwan IT Solution Pavilion
To further build the considerable business opportunities to be generated with the technological mixing and synergy between Taiwan's proven know-how in software development and the local auto parts sector, the Taipei AMPA organizer set up a Taiwan IT Solution Pavilion this year, serving as a platform to attract more international buyers to work with Taiwan-based suppliers.
This year 15 Taiwan-based companies exhibited IT solutions, including manufacturing systems, ERP (enterprise resources planning) systems and integrated logistics services and e-business platforms at the pavilion. The range of innovative software and practical experience offered to help manufacturers to improve production and operating efficiencies actually captured considerable attention among foreign buyers.
In addition, the show management arranged a procurement seminar and business meetings to facilitate interactions between foreign buyers and domestic suppliers.
