TaipeiPlas 2010 Shows Resilience Amid Global Recovery

Eco-friendly models a focus at this year's show

The 2010 Taipei International Plastics & Rubber Industry Show (TaipeiPlas 2010), co-organized by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), held March 5-9 at the Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall (TWTC Nangang), was a success, shown by the sizable gathering of specialized manufacturers of plastic processing machines and auxiliary equipment, especially the latest eco-friendly models.

The show attracted 419 exhibitors in 2,111 standard booths, with the number of visitors totaling 2,471, up 5.5% from the previous session in September 2008. Well-known names in this line in Taiwan who exhibited include Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., Jing Day Machinery Industrial Co., Fu Chun Shin Machinery Manufacture Co., Hao Yu Precision Machinery Industry Co. and Chuan Lih Fa Machinery Works Co.

This year's exhibition concentrated on innovative technologies developed by the plastics and rubber processing machinery manufacturing industry from home and abroad to meet the ever-changing need of the 3C (computer, consumer electronics and communications) and ICT (information and communication technology) sectors.

Wide-ranging Exhibits

The TAITRA noted the TaipeiPlas 2010 exhibition featured injection molding machines, blow molding machines, extrudes and extrusion plants, rubber processing machines, recycling equipment for reprocessing, packaging machines, thermoforming machines, printing machines, auxiliary equipment, and relevant parts and components, among others.

TAITRA, founded in 1970, is Taiwan's only officially-backed trade promoter. Besides being the largest exhibition organizer in Taiwan, TAITRA also manages the renting of the TWTC, Taipei International Convention Center (TICC), and the TWTC Nangang Exhibition Center, officially opened in March 2008.

Founded in November 1945, the TAMI, with over 2,400 members mainly from the trade, sponsors general interest activities, promotes technical cooperation, protects members' legal rights, and helps out members, business groups, and the public when necessary.

Taiwan's plastics and rubber processing machinery, with around 200 to 250 manufacturers operating on the island, have a solid reputation globally for excellent quality and reasonable pricing, built by long-term R&D.

R&D Advantage

Taiwan's manufacturers in this line have a strong reputation for R&D that has attracted the attention of global buyers.

TAMI chairman H.T. Hsu said Taiwan is the world's fourth-largest exporter and fifth-largest producer of plastic and rubber processing machinery. According to the customs-cleared statistics compiled by the TAMI, Taiwan churned out US$750 million worth of plastic and rubber processing machinery in 2009, down 31% from the preceding year's US$1.08 billion. Hsu attributed the sharp decline in the production to the global meltdown, also predicting the industry will see overall production value exceed US$1 billion in 2010.

Despite the uncertain global recovery, Taiwan's leading manufacturers in this line claim full equipment utilization rates after bottoming out earlier this year, including leaders as Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., Multiplas Enginery Co., Chen Hsong Machinery Taiwan Co., Fu Chun Shin Machinery Manufacture Co., Diing Kuen Plastic Machinery Co. and Venus Plastic Machinery Co., some of which are recruiting more workers.

Victor Taichung, Taiwan's leading manufacturer of plastic injection molding machines, says it has NT$600 million orders from China, including 200 units of large machines to be delivered to Foxconn Group and 20 sets for Delta Electronics Corp. The company claims such orders will keep production lines running till the end of June this year.

Multiplas president Y.C. Hu expressed luck for evading the financial meltdown, after seeing only a 30% annual sales decline with thin profits in 2008. The company says its is receiving ample orders from China, India, and Southeast Asia, totaling some NT$100 million in orders for January alone, almost to pre-meltdown level.

Direct Approach

Now a regular part of this trade show, TAITRA held 240 trade meetings participated by 40 foreign buyers from 18 nations, some of which boast annual sales over US$100 million, including Wago Kontakttechnik GmbH and PAS Deutschland GmbH of Germany, Hagihara Industries Inc. of Japan, Contenur S.L. of Spain, and IUSA SA DE CV of Mexico.

TAITRA figures confirm the show generated US$156.55 million in on-spot orders, with follow-up orders of US$153.86 million.

Rewarding R&D

To encourage R&D and innovation, the organizers held a competition to reward such achievement: This year 14 items were honored with the biggest prize given to Edex Technology Co. for its plunger-type micro injection molding machine.

Other prize winners included Chuan Lih Fa Machinery Works (all electric super speed LGP purpose machine), Fong Kee International Machinery Co. (three layer co-extrusion blow molding machine) etc. The TAITRA website shows other notable winners.

Industry Leader

One exhibitor that saw ample foot traffic to its booth was Kang Chyau Industry Co. founded in 1988. This maker is known for using the finest equipment and materials to ensure that all products will be of the highest quality. Each blow molding machine is equipped with an electronic length counter and accumulated time meter. In addition, all main output shafts are precision ground for exceptional stability and quiet operation.

This maker is one of the most respected professional manufacturers of industrial machines in Taiwan, but admits it was impacted by the global meltdown with declining overseas orders, as well as admitting to uncertain global recovery.

To ensure top quality, Kang Chyau purchases key components from established suppliers, including solenoid switches from Telemecanique, a renowned French, and Swedish SKF shaft bearings, as well as claiming buyers in over 62 nations, achievement built on high quality and reliability.

Eco-friendly

Another well-known exhibitor was Lung Meng Machinery Co., which showcased a large-sized machine for making eco-friendly eight-micron pre-stretch films.

Pre-stretch film has gradually become both revolutionary and accepted packaging option. The company manufactures the most advanced state-of-the-art facilities for factories seeking cost efficiency and eco-friendly solutions.

Proud of its R&D program that has built many pre-stretch, stretch and cling films machines, this maker has enabled buyers to get on the fast track to enter the ever-challenging market today.

The film products from Lung Meng's systems have become one of the most demanded products in the packaging industry. For the cost and quality of their systems, Lung Meng's clients have discovered the one and only efficient solution that they have been seeking for a long time.

The company offers extensive film production systems to deliver the ultimate solution for global buyers to improve efficiency and profit margins.

Lung Meng, also known as "Dragon Plastic Machinery," was established in 1976 as a professional plastics converting machinery manufacturer. In 1983 Dragon Plastic developed "All In Line System," integrating blown film extruders, printers and bag-making machines, a first in the industry.

30-year R&D Program

Lung Meng's wide range of price-competitive innovative machines, offering solutions surpassing customers' expectations. With over three decades of continuous research and development, Lung Meng has become the exclusive manufacturer capable of integrating all three kinds of machines together in an in-line process.

In the area of printing and lamination, Lung Meng provides the machines ranging from the very simple single color flexographic printing machines to high-speed, high-quality, 12-color computer control gravure printing machines in order to meet the different demand of customers.

Headquartered in Yungkang Industrial Park of Tainan County, southern Taiwan, this maker has two factories and two sub-factories, as well as claiming buyers in over 120 nations, who have placed orders directly and via overseas sales agents. To offer prompt after-sale services, the company has sales agents in Russia, Ukraine, Tunisia, India and Turkey.

Turnkey Projects

Leader Extrusion Machinery Industry Co. is one of Taiwan's leading manufacturers of extrusion machines. In 2008, the company released a production line of PP twin screw corrugated sheet extrusion machine. It is unique for its high capacity and full recycled-material processing capability. In 2009, the company upgraded its technique and designed a brand-new cross direction orientation equipment.

Leader has more than two decades of experiences in designing and manufacturing plastic extruding machines. The company has expertise in manufacturing PP, PS, PVC, PC sheet extrusion line; PP, PE, PET film extrusion lines; and PP, PC, PET hollow profile sheet extrusion lines, etc. The company boasts its turnkey projects include film extrusion, sheet extrusion, casting extrusion, rubber-type extrusion, pellet machines for recycling application.

In the plastic extruding field, Leader has expertise in design, research and development, and manufacture of key components, ensuring the reliable quality of its products. Beginning from the production of PP/PS/PET/PVC/PC/ABS/PMMA sheet extruding machines, the company has expanded business scope to include single and multi-layer film extrusion lines, bi-oriented film extrusion lines and optical film extrusion lines.

Leader boasts it has recruited a few specialists in such special plastics as PC, PET, PLA and PP. They have expertise in the machines for making transparent sheets, special shrinkable and optical films and hollow sheets. Thanks to its long-term dedication to developing advanced machines, the company has a long list of makers of PC sheets in Taiwan.

This maker is proud of being able to offer reliable machines and service, built on its dedicated R&D program, as well as total customer satisfaction and delivering superior quality products.

Sophistication

Leader's factory is equipped with sophisticated high-tech machines to produce high-accuracy and high-quality products. Seeing the manufacturing technology improved day by day, the company believes plastic extrusion films and sheets have become one of the most important daily necessities. Accordingly, environmental protection, lightweight, waterproof, durable and many other features will make the potential applications for the plastic extruding machines unlimited.

One of the company's most popular items is the TPU film extrusion line featuring special cutting design with high temperature control without overheat condition, surface of roll with special viscosity proof to prevent TPU/EVA from sticking on roll. The whole line is controlled by motion feed back and each section of the line speed can be controlled within 0.1m. The cooling efficiency of calendar and forming roll with good transparency and excellent forming ability to match high-pressure water pump, which could make the controllable thermal range within one-degree Celsius.

The next TaipeiPlas is scheduled for March 2012 at the same venue, according to TAITRA.