Taiwan Actively Developing All-Electronic Models

To cope with the rising use of 100%-electronic injection molding machines in the U.S., Japan and Europe, domestic manufacturers of plastic and rubber processing machines are making all-out efforts to follow suit. To do so, they have decided to form an alliance under the assistance of Taiwan's Mechanical Industry Research Laboratories (MIRL), which is directed by the government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute.

MIRL manager Chang Han-chieh says a total of six domestic manufacturers in the injection molding machine line have expressed strong willingness to join the prospective alliance. Of them, Fu Chun Hsin Machinery Manufacture Co. and Fong Kee Iron Works Co. have already registered with the MIRL to participate. The other four, including Multiplas Enginery Co., Outstanding Machinery Mfg. Co., Launch Machinery Works Co., and Chum Power Machinery Corp., are expected to follow suit and join the alliance.

Chang notes that the resource integration brought about by the alliance will help domestic manufacturers in the plastic and rubber processing machine field ratchet up their price-negotiating ability on imported key parts and components. He estimates the alliance will create an import-replacement value of between NT$700 million (US$21.87 million at US$1:NT$32) and NT$1 billion (US$31.25 million) annually in the early years of its establishment. In the longer range, the alliance will boost the value to more than NT$3 billion (US$93.75 million) per year, which can help further solidify the domestic plastic and rubber processing machinery industry.

Y.C. Hu is the chairman of the Plastic Committee of the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry. Hu, who is also the general manager of Multiplas, states that the basic structure of the prospective alliance will be a vertical integration, with the establishment of such key technology platforms as torque control, integrated servo systems, and motion-control software and hardware. He says the alliance will help member manufacturers develop common key components and control devices through collaborative research and development work. Furthermore, the alliance will push for united procurement of key components and parts to help member firms drive costs down.

Hu notes that such hi-tech industries as the computer, electronics, multimedia, communications, and optics fields would like to utilize high-quality, all-electronic injection molding machines to facilitate production. These machines have many advantages, including zero oil pollution, low noise, low vibration, and energy savings.

At present, more than 80% of Japan's output of injection molding machines are all-electronic models. An industry specialist estimates that 1, 600-metric-ton and under all-electronic injection molding machines made in Japan, Europe and North America will account for 70% of the total output of the all-electronic models worldwide in the next decade.

Over the past several years, large domestic manufacturers such as TMC Technology Corp., Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., Asian Plastic Machinery Co., and Yeong Chin Machinery Industries Co., have successively developed and introduced all-electronic injection molding machines. It is expected that more and more domestic manufacturers will introduce medium- and small-sized all-electronic injection molding machines in the foreseeable future.

Taiwan exported US$390.03 million worth of plastic and rubber processing machinery in the first five months of 2005, up a mere 5% from the US$369.84 million posted in the corresponding period of last year, according to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI). Plastic and rubber injection molding machines accounted for more than 60% of 2004's total exports in the sector.

Mainland China and Hong Kong ranked as Taiwan's top export market for the machines, absorbing US$142.11 million worth of the products in the first four months of this year, up 5.6% annually and accounting for 36.41% of the total export sales. The U.S. stood at the second place with US$22.63 million, down 5.3% year-on-year and commanding 9.6% of the total. The third place went to Japan with US$13.84 million, up 15.5% annually and accounting for 5.9% of the total.


Huarong: High Precision Use of Core Technologies

Huarong Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. Is one of Taiwan's most outstanding exporters of plastic processing machines, focusing on the development and production of safe and durable thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic injection molding machines. With an in-house research and development department and two decades of experience, Huarong is dedicated to developing high-precision plastic injection molding machines by using its core manufacturing technologies.

To ensure the quality of its products, the company has adopted imported precision production equipment, including CNC (computerized numerically controlled) machining centers, lathes, milling machines, and heat-treatment machines.

To enhance operating capacity, at the beginning of last year Huarong launched a new factory in Taiwan with a total investment of NT$120 million (US$3.75 million). The company scored NT$200 million (US$6.25 million) in domestic sales last year.

Huarong estimates it will see total sales double this year from last year's level because of the increased shipments of its products since the beginning of the year. The substantial growth in shipments, says the company, can be partly attributed to the contribution of its mainland production facility, which is located in Wuxi of Jiangsu Province, mainland China.

Roy Hsiao, president of Huarong, notes that his company will not only increase production capacity, but also make all-out efforts to develop sophisticated machines for a variety of industries, especially the optoelectronics sector.

Hsiao says his company is capable of rolling out high-, medium-, and low-price injection molding machines to meet the different requirements of customers around the world. The medium- and low-price models constitute the majority of the company's output because of high market demand.

The company's high-pressure, high-speed injection molding machine is equipped with a PC (personal computer)-based controller, a Microsoft Windows CE operating system, and a hydraulic system produced by Yuken Co. of Japan. The machine can meet customers¡¦ requirements in the areas of quality, speed, and operating accuracy. The machine is suitable for such high-tech products as electronic components, communication devices, optical lenses, and medical equipment.

In addition to developing high-end machines, Huarong has also emphasized providing pre- and after-sale services. With business units in northern, central and southern Taiwan, the company has also set up 12 service centers throughout mainland China.

One of Huarong's hottest-selling products is the HDC-series co-injection molding machine, which is equipped with two independent screw-barrel sets for synchronous injection, allowing for double-color molding and a shortened molding-cycle time. The machine adopts an Italian-made potentiometer to ensure accurate control in mold closing and opening, ejection, and injection. The injection system is horizontally arranged (side by side) to save space.

The company's HRQ-series accumulator high-speed injection molding machine features two injection cylinders. Suitable for the production of thin-wall products, the machine is equipped with a high-speed accumulator injection system, with a high injection rate. An oil filter is specially designed to ensure oil quality, viscosity quality and cleanliness.

Chen Hsong Offers High-end Molding Machines

Another professional manufacturer of plastic injection molding machines is Asian Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd., a member of the Hong Kong-based Chen Hsong Group, which was founded by Dr. Chen Chiang in 1958. Asian Plastic has grown to be the most profitable subsidiary of the Chen Hsong Group, and donates some profits each year to a charitable foundation.

To penetrate the Taiwan market, Chen Hsong Group founded Chen Hsong Taiwan in 1980. After years of prosperous development and fast sales growth, in 1988 the group set up Asian Plastic Machinery to expand overseas markets. Currently Chen Hsong Taiwan is in charge of the Taiwan and mainland China markets, while Asian Plastic is responsible for the rest of the world's markets.

Over the past several years, the Chen Hsong Group has extended production to Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, mainland China, by establishing a massive industrial zone there to penetrate the mainland market.

Although its parent company also makes plastic injection molding machines in the mainland, Asian Plastic says its products sold to the mainland market are very different from those made by its parent because it focuses on high-end models, while its parent concentrates on cheaper machines.

Michael Wang, deputy general manager of Asian Plastic, notes that his company has an in-house research and development team in charge of developing sophisticated manufacturing technologies for high-end models. Wang says many foreign customers who come to visit his company have been surprised at the substantial development and production capacity his company has established.

Thanks to its long-term efforts to develop advanced models meeting the needs of the world market, Asian Plastic has been able to offer a full range of plastic injection molding machines, including double-toggle machines, hydraulic clamping machines, high-speed machines, all-electronic machines, ultra high-speed machines, heavy-duty double-toggle machines, heavy two-platen machines, micro machines, retractable tie-bar machines, and most recently, hydraulic-electric hybrid machines.

In June, the ISO 9001/14001-certified company won the "It's Very Well Made in Taiwan" award presented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs for its HS-series ultra high-speed injection molding machines. The HS-series product features a hydraulic clamping system and a mold platen with a high-rigidity structure.

Asian Plastic notes the hydraulic-electric hybrid machines are welcomed in Europe because they adopt servo motors to ensure high speed, high injection accuracy, and power savings. The company is capable of producing 3, 200-ton two-platen machines that measure 20% to 30% smaller than general double-toggle machines, while at the same time having an opening stroke in the clamping unit that measures 40% to 50% larger.

The company says it introduced the hydraulic-electric hybrid machines for the first time at the Taipei International Plastics and Rubber Industry Show held in March 2004 at the Taipei World Trade Center.

With the ability to develop a full range of machines, the company boasts it has established a leading position at home and abroad. "Our expertise in this field allows us to develop a variety of machines that can meet the specific requirements of many industries, especially in the plastics world, " Wang states.

Currently, Asian Plastic sells 45% of its total output to overseas markets other than mainland China, 40% to the mainland market, and 15% to the domestic market. Wang says his company's sales grew 15% to reach NT$2.1 billion (US$65.62 million) last year. At least another 10% growth is expected this year.

Wang anticipates the 10% growth due to the recovery of such major markets as mainland China and India. "Because of the continued implementation of the macro-economic control policy imposed by the mainland government a year ago, we saw sales to that market decline in the first half of this year, " explains Wang. "But we have seen a recovery in orders from the mainland since the beginning of the second half of this year. More important, our sales to India have been growing since the beginning of this year because the Indian government has adopted effective measures to bolster its economy and solicit the investments of foreign firms. We sold NT$200 million (US$6.25 million) worth of machines to India last year, and the amount should increase this year."

Asian Plastic has now speeded up its design pace by focusing on the establishment of modular designs, which can meet the multiple requirements associated with injection volume and speed. The company now offers total solutions for injection molding operations, including in-mold labeling and in-mold decoration.


TMC: Customer Oriented, Quality Driven, Globally Positioned

Another manufacturer capable of rolling out a full range of plastic injection molding machines is Tmc Technology Corp., which was founded in 1971. TMC's basic operating principle is to be "customer-oriented, quality-driven, effectively-managed, and globally-positioned." The company offers toggle-, fully hydraulic-, fully electrical-, hybrid-, and insert-type models.

TMC's toggle-type (E series) machines offer clamping forces of between 60 and 1, 500 tons, and are suitable for various high-value-added industrial products. The multi-purpose E series features a long operating life span, steady operation, high quality control, and multiple injection speeds and pressures.

To secure core manufacturing technologies, TMC has established close cooperation projects with the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the Industrial Technology Research Institute, and Siemens AG of Germany. The company boasts it has obtained patents in Taiwan and the U.S.

TMC's hydraulic-type (H series) machines have clamping forces of between 175 and 500 tons, suitable for manufacturing smaller commercial products. The fully-electric type (K series) machines feature clamping forces of 50 to 150 tons, and are suitable for the production of high-tech, high-precision products.

The hybrid-type (E-III series) machines feature clamping forces of 60 to 1, 000 tons, and are suitable for long-term operation, which drives costs down. The insert type (HV series) machines have a clamping force of 60 to 150 tons, suitable for insert molding products.

TMC currently has production facilities in Taoyuan County of Taiwan and Jiangmen City of Guangdong Province, mainland China. The Taiwan production facility is capable of cranking out 300 plastic injection molding machines per year, while the mainland facility can produce 200 units.

The company boasts its products provide clamping forces ranging from 40 to 1, 500 tons to meet customers' requirements. With an in-house R&D department, the company is capable of rolling out innovative products at any time.

The CE, ISO-9001, and ISO-14001-certified company uses the "TMC" brand, which has won high recognition in many industrialized nations because of its quality. The company¡¦s products are required to pass stringent inspections and testing before they are shipped to customers.

To offer high quality customer service around the world, the company has established distribution and service centers in 22 nations. The company¡¦s major export outlets include mainland China, the U.S., Europe, South Africa, Australia, and Latin America.

In the next half year, the company will take part in several international plastic machinery exhibitions, including Vietnam PLASTIC 2005, slated for Nov. 4-7, Moscow Interplastika 2005, Dec. 13-16, and Taipei PLAS 2006, March 23-27.


Kou Yi Has State-of-the-art Machines for the Global Market

Kou Yi Iron Works Co., Ltd., founded in 1959, specializes in the development and production of hydraulic machines. With decades of development and manufacturing experience, the company has concentrated on producing various kinds of injection molding machines, especially for the shoe-making sector.

Since its establishment, the company has developed state-of-the-art machinery to meet the needs of the global plastics industry. When the plastics industry creates new plastic materials, the company is capable of developing appropriate machines for manufacturing products with the new materials.

At present, the company's major products include air-blown shoe injection molding machines; E.V.A. foam injection molding machines; one/two-color sole injection molding machines; one/two-color sandal, slipper, and plastic shoe injection molding machines; one/two/three-color sport shoe injection and jointing molding machines; and one/two-color rain boot injection molding machines.

Kou Yi president Wen Ming-chu says her company stands ready to develop advanced models to cope with customers' special requirements with her company's experienced, in-house R&D team. Wen says her company can make one-stop shopping easy for customers because of its full package of custom designed models for the shoe-making world.

The company's long-term effort to develop innovative machines has paid off because it has won many prizes awarded by Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs. Over the past few years, the company won the Outstanding Machinery Dragon Award, Good Product Design Award, and Outstanding Product Design Award given by the MOEA.

The ISO-9002 certified machinery manufacturer obtained 15 patents from the MOEA's Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection. The company says it has won a good reputation in both the domestic and foreign markets due to its ability to develop innovative and sophisticated products.

Kou Yi's two-color rotary-type rain-boot automatic injection molding machine is an easy-to-operate model equipped with a computer and automatic material-quantity ejection control equipment. With multiple security systems, the machine can ensure the safety of both machine operators and the processed molds. The machine can load molds up to 700x660x188mm.

Recently the company has successfully developed innovative products ranging from the NSK-637 curved automatic E.V.A. foaming injection molding machine to the NSK-638S automatic arc-type EVA (ethylenevinyl acetate) foam injection molding machine. Kou Yi says it will continue to make use of its R&D and production advantages to develop more innovative machines to fulfill the demands of customers from around the world.