Taiwan Makers Ally to Develop All-electric Models to Stay Competitive

Battling against low-priced China-made plastic injection molding machines, the makers in Taiwan are resorting to teamwork: seven manufacturers recently formed an alliance to step up efforts to develop four high-end, all-electric injection molding machines.

The seven in the alliance are Multiplas Enginery Co., Fu Chun Shin Machinery Manufacture Co., Victor Taihung Machinery Works Co., Chum Power Machinery Corp., Outstanding Machinery Mfg. Co., Launch Machinery Works Co., and Teco Electro Devices Co., whose team project is to be financed by applying for an R&D subsidy of NT$70 million (US$2.13 million at US$1:NT$32) with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

Observers believe that developing and marketing such high-end machines would help the plastic injection molding machinery sector in Taiwan generate an additional NT$10 billion (US$304.87 million) in annual sales.

In addition to enhancing profitability of domestic manufacturers, the alliance will also help member companies slash production costs through resource integration, which allows members to share expertise that would likely help trim developmental costs.

Localization of Key Parts

Towards such end, Outstanding Machinery will handle developing mechanical modules and knuckle components; Launch will develop ballscrew modules; and Teco Electro will focus on R&D of servomotors and drivers. The team effort would help local makers build key parts in Taiwan, instead of often relying on costly imports, to cut production costs by over 30%.

Victor Taichung will handle developing all-electric plastic injection molding machines rated at 300-ton camping force, with Fu Chun Shin to develop ones rated under 300 tons; Multiplas will focus on developing vertical plastic injection molding machines; and Chum Power will all-electric injection blow molding machines.

Y.C. Hu, chairman of Multiplas, says the seven-member alliance will budget NT$180 million (US$5.48 million) to develop such high-end all-electric injection molding machines, with the developmental program to begin by this year-end, and any achievements made to be publicized two years thereafter.

Hu notes the sector in Taiwan turned out some NT$37.2 billon (US$1.13 billion) of plastic injection molding machines last year, standing firm as the world's fifth-largest producer.

Energy-efficiency Specialized

Huarong Plastic Machinery Co., with more than two decades of manufacturing experience, is a specialized maker of plastic injection molding machines. Its president Roy Shiao will continue to build global presence by allying with peers to share added-value.

After years of development, the company offers a wide range of manual, precision, all-electric and energy-saving plastic injection molding machines, with its current line mainly consisting of PET, HDC, IML and F(FC) series.

The company's latest achievement is having developed the HR-F(FC)-series servo hydraulic injection molding machines, effectively saving a claimed 72.8% energy compared to its HR-N-series, a fully programmable-logic-controlled (PLC) machine.

Shiao says his company has considerable expertise in developing PLC machines, having recently developed in-house a powerful PLC system to control 168 plastic injection molding machines. Such high-efficiency PLC has helped one of its customers to sizably cut manpower by controlling 30 plastic injection molding machines.

Customized Fabrication

Fully capable of developing innovative machines to custom specifications, the company's R&D department began developing the innovative HR-IML-series in-mold labeling and injection molding machine in 2006, which it launched at an international plastic show in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China in 2007. The company currently sells the HR-IML-series in-mold labeling and injection molding machines to Europe, the U.S., the Middle East and South Africa.

Huarong will showcase at the 2008 Taipei International Plastics & Rubber Industry Show (Taipei Plas), slated for Sept. 18-22, a series of machines, including HR-F, EML, PET and U(H)(A) models, as well as debuting a compact, high-speed and precision model that is suitable for the electronics, precision parts and components, and cellphone keyboards sectors.

Mechanical Improvement

Currently the company is trying to develop smaller, more energy-saving, two-sectional injection molding machines, an improvement over the conventional three-section ones.

Headquartered and running a factory in Tainan County, southern Taiwan, Huarong also operates three plants in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, saying that the mainland plants focuses on producing conventional models while its Taiwan plant specializes in compact, precision models.

Exporting 90% of its total output, Huarong delivers some 30% of such shipment to the Middle East. To further build corporate image and innovative products, the company mainly attends major, global plastics trade shows, including ones in Germany, mainland China, Taipei, Dubai, Egypt, South Africa, Mexico and Poland.

The company's efforts to develop innovative machinery over the past two years will help to generate substantial sales growth this year, despite a slight decline last year. Shiao reports that considerable orders have been received from abroad since the beginning of this year for compact, energy-saving machines.

Shoemaking Injection Molding Machines

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

Since its establishment, the company has steadily kept a keen eye on developments of the global plastics industry, a strategy that is necessary as mechanical development must stay apace with new innovations in the plastic development sector.

The company's current line includes air-blow shoe injection molding machines; EVA foam injection molding machines; one/two-color sole injection molding machines; one/two-color sandals, slippers, and plastic shoes injection molding machines; one/two/three-color sport shoes injection and jointing molding machines; and one/two-color rain boots injection molding machines.

The company's long-term effort to develop innovative machines has paid off: winning many prizes from the MOEA over the years, including Outstanding Machinery Dragon Award, Good Product Design Award, and Outstanding Product Design Award. Having obtained 15 patents in Taiwan, the ISO-9002 certified firm says its has built a solid reputation at home and abroad for its ability to develop innovative, sophisticated products.

Kou Yi's two-color, automatic rotary rain-boot injection molding machine proves the firm's mechanical-design expertise: the model features easy operation with computerized material-feeding control. With multi-security protection, the machine can ensure operator safety, with molds measuring 700x660x188mm being loadable.

The company's latest success in product development is the innovative NSK-637 curved automatic EVA (ethylenevinyl acetate) foaming injection molding machine.

And Kou Yi will continue to direct its R&D expertise towards innovation-building more machines that suitably meet global demands.

The company mainly exports to the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, with emerging markets such as Russia and Brazil currently being eagerly developed.

Servo-Electric Injection Molding Machine

Der Gang Machinery Co. was founded in 1984 as a professional manufacturer of plastic injection molding machines. Headquartered in Tainan County, southern Taiwan, the company began development of J-series machines initially.

With years of development, the ISO9001 and CE mark-certified manufacturer has completed development of a series of special-purpose plastic injection molding machines. Recently the company has modified the J-series machine to roll out the DG Multi series which feature precision, energy saving and humanistic.

The DG multi-series include thermo plastic injection molding machines, thermo-set plastic injection molding machines, BMC injection molding machines, PET injection molding machines, multi-component injection molding machines. The DG series products feature super-hard, high-precision platen for strong mold clamping, linear guide to ensure stable injection, user-friendly operating system, and reliable and sensitive controller.

The company exports worldwide under the "E-TECH" brand and is a regular participant in world-renowned, global exhibitions such as K show in Germany and Taipei Plas in Taiwan, a trade show in which the company will participate at the Taipei World Trade Center (Nangang Exhibition Hall), slated for September 18-22.

The company's E-series servo-electric injection molding machine features energy-efficient, quiet operation, oil-mist-free production to ensure clean output, fully closed loop system to enhance control accuracy, stable injection molding, simultaneous multi-action, compound processing to maximize production efficiency, as well as easy control, user-friendly control panel and large LCD (liquid crystal display), etc.

Der Gang says it keeps a sizable inventory to meet rush orders, including horizontal vertical models of small, medium and large sizes.

Multi-Resin/ Color Injection Molding Machines

With sustained expansion since its founding in 1966, Chuan Lih Fa Machinery Works Co., Ltd. has evolved into a sizable maker of wide ranging high-speed injection-molding machines, multi-resin/color injection-molding machines, vertical injection-molding machines, and mold-spotting presses.

J.T. Lin, company president, attributes steady, smooth corporate growth to its long-term dedication to improving technology, achieving top quality, and honest management. Such motto has helped the company to improve design, upgrade quality, and meet ever-demanding requirements. The ISO901 and CE certified firm has also won good-product-design awards, confirming its quest to offer total satisfaction is paying off.

Starting with just five members but after a series of expansions over the years, Chuan Lih Fa now has over 200 employees in Taiwan, and more than 250 at its two factories in China, which are in Shanghai Municipality and Zhongshan, Guangdong Province that focus on producing 100-1,380-ton injection-molding machines.

The company has set up service depots in major mainland cities, including Zhongshan, Shenzhen, Tangxia, Changping, Huizhou, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shanghai, Kuengshan, Suzhou, Nanjing, Yuyao, Huangian, Chongqing, Tianjin, and Guilin.

Based in Yungkang City, Tainan County in southern Taiwan, the company maintains two plants, two branches, and an R&D facility on the island staffed by professional engineers with years of experience who handle design, new product development and function specification, as well as having set up overseas branches in Hong Kong and Vietnam. The firm is also known for its strict quality control, manufacturing that is carried out without compromise.

The firm tests products for 72-hours nonstop before shipping to global customers; while offering personalized after-sales service helps to guarantee industry-leading customer satisfaction, Lin adds. The company's current, major export outlets include mainland China, and other Asian countries, Canada, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Cutting-Edge Injection Molding Machinery

Jon Wai Machinery Works Co., Ltd., founded in 1971, is a highly experienced maker of innovative plastic injection molding machines in Taiwan, with its renowned affiliate-Taiwan Bottle Cap Corp. helping to develop practical, reliable products.

This ISO9001 and CE-certified company has always focused on developing innovative products, as well as meeting orders for high-quality, energy-saving and high-performance plastic injection molding machines, all of which feature fast-cycling, labor-saving, and automated control.

Jon Wai says it has set up 35 overseas marketing and service points in more than 50 nations, and is one of Taiwan's most outstanding exporters of plastic injection molding machines with five branches in Taiwan and one in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China.

Running a 200,000-square-foot factory in Tainan County of southern Taiwan, the company currently has an annual capacity of approximately 700 plastic injection-molding machines.

After three decades of development, the company offers a full range of plastic injection-molding machines, with major products being toggle clamping system machines rated at 55-6,000 tons, hydraulic clamping machines rated at 50-280 tons, thermosetting plastic machines rated at 60-500 tons, two-color machine, powder PVC (polyvinyl chloride) machines, high-speed/multi-sequence/close-loop machines rated at 100-300 tons, and gas-assisted injection systems.

Jon Wai claims it has many world-renowned, multinational companies as customers, to whom most of its products are sold on an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) basis.

A notable machine in the company's line is the TW-series, thin-walled container molding system controlled by high-performance servo valve that enables thin-wall molding of multiple cavities through high-capacity molding with accumulator injection circuit. One of its desirable features is minimized cycling time, achieved by high-efficiency mixing and plasticizing screw.