Mirle's Revenue from FPD Automation Equipment Increases by 50% This Year

Thanks to the increasing use of robotic application systems in the flat panel display (FPD) industry, Mirle Automation Corp., a major Taiwanese supplier of automation equipment, recently reported that revenue generated from its sales to the FPD industry has increased by 50% this year, while sales to the automotive and motorcycle industries have risen by more than 20%.

A senior Mirle official pointed out that his company's business is directed mainly at the optoelectronics and automotive/motorcycle industries. It ships automation equipment to makers of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) and touch panels on the both sides of Taiwan Strait; as well as to vehicle assemblers and parts manufacturers, especially in China. Thanks to strong demand, Mirle's delivery schedule is filled to mid-2015.

The firm showcased different types of robotic application systems at the recent Taipei International Industrial Automation Exhibition 2014, including the most advanced models with 3D visual-guidance systems, multi-working trimming systems, and the latest hollow-welding systems, winning the highest accolades from global visitors.

Mirle officials said that the global industrial automation equipment market has been heating up this year, and that their company has about NT$3.6 billion (US$120 million) worth of orders in hand: about NT$900 million (US$30 million) from Taiwanese customers, and NT$2.7 billion (US$90 million) from Chinese clients.

Currently, about 48% of Mirle's revenue comes from information technology (IT) products and services, including total solutions for networking, file management, database integration for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), computer integrated manufacturing (CIM), and electronic design automation (EDA), as well as from its dealership in IBM computers. Robotic application systems for FPD logistics automation account for about 17%. Thanks to strong demand generated by the the aggressive capacity expansion projects of Taiwanese and Chinese FPD makers, revenue from this latter category has climbed 50% this year.

Systems for the transportation vehicle industry, automated inventory systems, and industrial control systems are contributing 12%, 11%, and 11%, respectively, of Mirle's revenue this year.