TIMTOS 2005 to be held March 15-20 at TWTC

Taipei, Jan. 21, 2005 (CENS)--Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS), co-organized by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI) and Taiwan Trade Development Council (TAITRA), will be kicked off March 15-20 at Hall 1, 2, 3 of Taipei World Trade Center.

The show will feature CNC (computerized numerically controlled) machine tools, metal-cutting machines, metal-forming machines, foundry, forging, welding and cutting equipment; tools, cutters, measuring, inspecting and testing equipment; machine-tool parts and accessories; and related items.

TAITRA said TIMTOS 2005 has attracted 599 exhibitors occupying 2,652 booths. Net floor space used by the show will total 42,774 square feet, up 30% from that of the previous session held in 2003 and hitting an all-time high.

A total of 491 domestic machine-tool firms, using 2,195 booths, have registered with the TAITRA to display their latest technologies and products. A total of 108 exhibitors will come from abroad and occupy 457 booths, mainly from the U.S., Germany, Britain, Japan, Holland, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, and Switzerland. Of the overseas exhibitors, Switzerland will attend the show in the form of a national pavilion using 66 booths.

Internationally-renowned participants in the show include Mitsubishi Electric Taiwan, DMG Machinery Taiwan, ITI AHFHA Inc., Taiwan Dynamics, MITUTOYO Taiwan, Yamazaki Mazak Taiwan, Takeda Chemical Industry, Big Daishowa Seiki, Heidenhain, Selco, Okuma, and Knuth, etc.

At the moment, Taiwan's machine tool production value exceeds US$2 billion a year, higher than recorded by Switzerland. The TIMTOS 2005 will serve as a one-stop shopping center for the latest machine tool products. The show is regarded as one of the world's premier machine-tool exhibitions.

Taiwan was the world's No.4 exporter of machine tools and No.6 in terms of production value in 2003. Taiwan registered US$1.809 billion and US$1.683 billion in exports and imports of machine tools in the first 10 months of last year, up 35.5% and 165%, respectively, from the corresponding period of the previous year.

TAMI predicted Taiwan has great chance to rank as the world's fifth-largest producing nation, behind Germany, Japan, Italy, and the U.S.; as well as the world's third-largest exporter, only behind Germany and Japan, in 2004.

To encourage domestic manufacturers to step up the production of high-value-added products and enhance their international competitiveness, Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation will cooperate with the co-organizers to hold the second Machine Tool R&D, Innovation competition during the show. Competing products are divided into three categories, including machining center, NC (numerically controlled) lathe, and other CNC machine tools. As of the middle of January, some large-sized domestic firms have registered to take part in the competition. They are Yeong Chin Machinery Industry Co., Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., Fair Friend Ent. Co., Chin Fong Machinery Industrial Co., Dah Lih Machinery Industry Co., Falcon Machine Tool Co., Awea Mechantronic Co., and Leadwell CNC Machines Mfg. Corp.