Electronics Makers Tout New Applications at Taipei Show

Exhibitors at last year's TAITRONICS-Finished Products Show in Taipei wooed buyers with a host of new products, and also offered a glimpse at how local manufacturers are using innovative applications to boost sales.

The five-day TAITRONICS show, which kicked off on Oct. 16, attracted over 21,000 buyers, up 10% from 2001, according to the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA). TEEMA organized the show with Taiwan's China External Trade Development Council (CETRA).

In 2001, many buyers cancelled trips to the show as a result of the September 11 attacks in the U.S., dampening procurement sentiment at the event.

TEEMA chairman S.H. Hsu says that Taiwan is well poised to serve as a global operations hub for the electronics-product industry, noting the well-developed network of supporting design, manufacturing, and logistics services on the island. Still, he urges the local industry to become more open and internationalized. He also underscores the importance of emphasizing individuality, multimedia functions, high quality, and Internet functions in product development.

The strong turnout of buyers at last year's TAITRONICS has kindled hopes that the global electronics market will recover this year. It also indicates that while much of Taiwan's electronics production has moved to mainland China, order-taking is still largely handled in Taiwan, TEEMA says.

Electronics Kingdom

The annually held TAITRONICS show offers the world's most complete range of finished electronics products and is considered a one-stop-shopping platform by buyers around the world.

This reputation has been supported by the formidable strength of Taiwan's electrical and electronics industries, which churned out US$117.8 billion worth of products in 2001, including exports valued at about US$58.9 billion, despite the global economic downturn. The production value represented 49.3% of the total manufacturing output in Taiwan and 47.9% of the island's export value.

In the first eight months of 2002, Taiwan exported US$31 billion worth of electrical and electronic products, a 5.7% gain from 2001's US$29 billion. Exports of electrical products soared by 32.8% in the period, while overseas shipments of household appliances retreated 4.8%.

To generate more business opportunities for exhibitors, the show organizers invited a trade mission organized by an electronics manufacturers' association in Ningbo, mainland China to visit last year's TAITRONICS. The Taipei show was also scheduled near the time frames of similar events in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong so that visitors to those exhibitions could attend the Taipei show "on the way."

Last year, 761 manufacturers, including 37 foreign manufacturers, exhibited their latest products. Exhibits were divided into eight sections: consumer electronics, telecommunications and satellite equipment, computers and peripherals, stage equipment, lighting equipment, general electronics product, foreign products and media.

The consumer-electronics exhibitors occupied 720 of the 1,784 booths, telecommunications and satellite-equipment vendors had 663 booths, and computers and peripherals were shown at 212 booths.

Web-Cam Security

Argus Security Corp., a Taiwanese supplier of security systems, demonstrated its Internet-controlled Net-Capture surveillance system. The system consists of a digital camera and a personal computer. An Internet Protocol (IP) address is built into the camera so that it can be controlled remotely online. Video images captured by the camera are transferred to the computer and immediately transmitted over the Web.

The system is a cutting-edge product for home, factory, school and office security. According to the company, many Taiwanese enterprises have already installed the system at their mainland China factories and other facilities, enabling managers in Taiwan to keep track of their operations across the strait.

Up to six cameras can be attached to a single IP address with the Net-Capture system. The system can also link to a broadband asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) connection for speedy transfer of images.

Before rolling out its broadband Net-Capture system last year, Argus had offered dial-up models for five years. "The system has progressed with advances in bandwidth technology," says company sales manager Sunny Shiao.

Established in 1991, Argus has developed its online surveillance systems in cooperation with a U.S. technology partner. The company claims that its systems are around one-third cheaper than comparable products made by foreign rivals.

In-Vehicle Video

Action Electronics Co. Ltd., a maker of multimedia consumer electronics, displayed an in-vehicle video system at the Taipei show. The company rolled out the system in 2001 and sees a bright future for the new item. "The need for in-vehicle video systems will increase with the growing popularity of recreational vehicles (RVs)," predicts James Wen, manager of Action's International Trade Division.

Action has been contracted to supply the video systems to several domestic auto makers. The system comes in overhead, headrest and in-dash models. The company uses sub-15-inch thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels in its video systems.

The company also sells cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs, LCD TVs, CRT PC monitors and LCD monitors.

A Home Entertainment Center for the Budget-Minded

Ensing Electronic Co., Ltd. Demonstrated budget-priced audio systems for home entertainment centers at last year's show, hoping to lure cost-conscious consumers in a belt-tightening economy. Its full-feature flagship model--composed of an AV digital surround-sound processing unit/karaoke key-control amplifier, a surround-sound processing unit/center amplifier, two floor-stand speakers, two side speakers, a center speaker, a subwoofer amplifier, and two side-speaker stands--is priced at around NT$50,000 (US$1,400) and can work with any TV brand.

Allan Chang, a company sales representative, says that such models once cost twice as much. "But mainland Chinese manufacturers are now turning out such products for about NT$30,000 (NT$860). So, manufacturers in Taiwan have to stress service quality in order to compete with their mainland counterparts," he says. Systems made in industrially advanced countries, he adds, are priced at least NT$100,000 (US$2,900).

Still, Ensing's revenue dropped 30% last year from three years ago due to the current economic downturn, Chang says.

Upstaging the Competition

Lite Puter Enterprise Co., Ltd. Has used digital technology to develop highly efficient stage-control systems, including a computerized model that allows users to coordinate audio and lighting effects from a touch-screen panel.

With the aid of digital technology, each power loop can control as many as 240 effects, according to company sales representative Lily Lo.

Eight years ago, Lite Puter developed patented modularized digital loops and electronic controls. The modularized design makes it much easier to troubleshoot problems and replace burned-out modules, Lo says. "It used to be difficult to maintain these systems because it took so much time to locate the problem in the jumble of loop wires and other devices."

According to Lo, Lite Puter is the only manufacturer of environment-friendly stage lighting/audio systems in Taiwan. "Stage systems require a very high-level of technology to make since they are power guzzlers and tend to burn out," she says.

Department stores, luxury hotels, art galleries, convention centers, exhibition centers and business buildings are the company's target buyers. In Taipei alone, the company's systems have been installed at luxury hotels including the Grand Hyatt, Hilton, Grand Formosa Regent, Westin, Sheraton, Sherwood, and Ambassador.

In spite of economic recession, the company's sales have risen steadily over the past few years. Lo attributes the growth to her company's good quality and fair pricing. "For example, we sold a loop system to the Grand Hyatt for only NT$10,000 (US$300) 10 years ago, which was about one-tenth the price of imported systems at that time," she says.

Mini Memory

Power Digital Card Co., Ltd. Impressed visitors at TAITRONICS with miniature memory cards for cellphones, MP3 players and other electronic devices. "The thumbnail-sized cards are expected to replace SIMs (subscriber identification modules) in mobile phones soon due to their larger memory capacity. The trend will begin with some 30 million mobile phones, which are projected to be installed with the cards this year," comments G.F. Shueh, the company's chief strategy officer.

He noted that European cellphone suppliers are developing the lilliputian cards for such phones. The cards can also be used as computer disks and memory cards in consumer electronics such as MP3 players. "Electronic books are another potential application for the cards," Shueh adds.

Power Digital has developed cards in capacity specifications of 32Mb, 64Mb, 128Mb and 256Mb. The cards can store data, sound and image files.

Power Digital's cards have a patented one-piece case, unlike the two-piece covers used on rival products.