Taichung: Machine tool village of the world

By: David Monson

If San Jose in California's Silicon Valley is dubbed "high tech centre of the planet," then Taichung, with the advantage of its supply webbing system, justifiably merits its title "Machine Tool Village" of the world.

This is where more than 200 machine tool builders and 1,000 component makers work together in a closely knit network of industries including precision machinery, metalworking, ICT, optoelectronics, medical equipment and warehousing. It all adds up to a diversity of resources and "the richness of business opportunities." There was no short supply of them either at TMTS 2010, the inaugural and largest machine tool show held in Taichung's ShuiNan Economic and Trade Park from November 3-5 last year.

Staying ahead of the pack

Interactive "computerised automatic lathes" are very much a part of Sun Master Hi-Tech Co. Ltd 's product line up in 2011, and if the interest in the machines on display at the Taichung show was anything to go by they could also become a market winner.

As one of Taiwan's foremost lathe manufacturers with a reputation founded on the success of its predecessor Shun Chuanwhich first came up in 1994 with a pioneering automatic lathe - its machine design and construction has gone from strength to strength.

Sun Master has benefited from its predecessor's quarter century track record in precision machine manufacturing. For this reason says Louis Lin, Sales Department Deputy Manager," we are often referred to as a young but experienced manufacturer that will always come up with new models to provide flexible choices and a competitive edge to our customers around the world."

Staying ahead of the pack though has mean double digit investment in R&D and innovation rooted in years of experience and skilled management. "Dependability" is our "watchword," says Lin. At the present time the company, far from resting on its laurels, is busy developing new models in what it claims is the most complete range among Taiwan lathe manufacturers.

Turning Tools that turned a lot heads

External holders, HSS and carbide boring bars, parting off , grooving and face grooving holders, U - Drilling , CNC Sleeves and Collect & Milling Cutter were just a few of the turning tools Chiao Chuen Precision Machinery Co. Ltd offers to 'change the future with us" as the corporate slogan goes. 

And 2010 turned out to be "a very busy one for us," said Company President Heng-jhih You.
 For Chiao Chuen, the Taichung Show was the last in a series of important metalworking shows beginning with the Moscow Machinery Show in May, IMTS in Chicago in September and the Japan International Machine tool Fair in late October. 

At all of them Chiao Chuen's External Turning System (ISO Code Key - turning tools for external machining) was turning visitor heads, from system MTJN-1 to that of of ADJC-F and SDAC.

 Leader of air compressors

Teamwork and partnership are the hallmarks of Taichungs' Tong Cheng Iron Works Co. Ltd. Under its brand name "SWAN" the company today manufactures, markets and distributes more than 200 types of compressor products - a good cross section of them on display at the Show in Taichung last October. "You could say we are your total source for compressed air," said company spokesman. 

And as one of the leading suppliers of products and service for compressed air systems Tong Cheng IAir Jordan Spizike 3.5