Flooding in Thailand Diverts Machine-tool Orders to Taiwan

Taipei, Oct. 31, 2011 (CENS)--While Taiwan's machine-tool makers delay shipments, they have also received recently rush orders due to flooding in Thailand.

Some Japanese-invested makers of automotive parts and machine tools, whose plants are inundated, are eager to procure production equipment as machining centers, large-sized double-column machining centers and lathes from Taiwan.

An executive of Goodway Machine Co., Taiwan's leading manufacturer of CNC lathes, said his company used to ship more than 10 lathes to Thailand per month, but has had to delay shipment due to flooding, and also has received orders for another 30 CNC lathes from Thai distributors.

Falcon Machine Tools Co., one of Taiwan's leading manufacturers of large-sized double-column machining centers, has unfilled orders between NT$850 million and NT$900 million, NT$140 million of which from Thailand. The Thai distributors recently asked for the original orders for 40 large-sized double-column machining centers to be shipped by the end of November and will place new orders, which will keep production lines busy through the end of the first quarter of next year.

Fair Friend Group, Taiwan's largest machine-tool conglomerate, noted it has received rush orders from Thai agents due to flooding of many Japanese-invested automotive parts and machine tool plants.

Awea Mechantronic Corp. executive said order have come in recently from Japanese-invested automobile plants in Thailand, with the volume undetermined till the flood water subsides.