Interwood Taipei 2005 opening for 4-day run at TWTC

Taipei, July 1, 2005 (CENS)--The Taipei International Woodworking Machinery and Supplies Show will be held from today through July 4 at the exhibition hall of Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC).

According to co-organizer Taiwan External Trade Development Council, 170 suppliers will exhibit their latest products at 965 booths, increasing 8% from 2002's 892 booths. The woodworking trade show is held every three years. The other two co-organizers are Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry.

This year, 10 foreign suppliers have signed up to demonstrate products at 37 booths on the show ground, compared with last event's 16 booths. The foreign suppliers come from Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines and Japan. Homag of Germany, a world heavyweight supplier in this field, exposes its products at the Taipei show for the first time.

The show ground is divided into Taiwanese woodworking section, foreign woodworking section, woodworking-material section, media section and association section. Demonstrated products on the ground include sawing systems, forming systems, lathing systems, particle-collecting systems, jointing systems, equipment accessories and parts as well as materials.

Computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines will remain the major shinning models at the show.

According to Taiwan's customs office, the island shipped US$829 million worth of woodworking machines last year, up 18.7% from a year earlier and making it the world's No. 3 supplier of the equipment. In the first three months of this year, Taiwan delivered woodworking machines valued about US$173 million, surging 10.7% from the same period of last year. Major markets for the Taiwan exports are North America, mainland China, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Recently, Taiwan's woodworking-equipment suppliers have formed alliance to enhance their competitiveness in world market.