Taiwan's Largest Hardware Industry Exhibition Concludes Successfully TiTE × IHT Showcases Taiwan's Manufacturing Excellence

Taiwan's annual hardware industry highlight — TiTE × IHT 2025 Taiwan International Hardware Tools Expo × Industrial Hardware Exhibition — concluded successfully on October 23 at the Taichung International Convention and Exhibition Center (TICEC).

As the first international industrial exhibition hosted at the newly inaugurated venue, this year's show featured the largest scale in its history and a highly international lineup of buyers, fully demonstrating the strength and resilience of Taiwan's manufacturing sector amid global economic shifts. The event also marked the beginning of a new era for Central Taiwan's international convention scene.

Centered on the theme "Team Taiwan — Building New Resilience for Taiwan Manufacturing," the 2025 edition brought together 400 exhibitors from 15 countries, occupying 800 booths. Exhibits covered eight major sectors — including hand tools, metalworking, auto repair, fasteners, smart manufacturing, and green sustainability — showcasing the full depth and diversity of Taiwan's industrial supply chain.

The exhibition attracted over 500 international buyers from 70 countries, representing key markets such as Japan, South Korea, Germany, the United States, Italy, Poland, Turkey, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.

More than 100 on-site business matchmaking sessions were held, and total attendance exceeded 22,000 visitors. Despite the twin challenges of global tariffs and exchange rate fluctuations, Taiwan's manufacturers demonstrated breakthrough competitiveness through the three pillars of system, brand, and technology — embodying the collective resilience and collaboration spirit of “Team Taiwan.”

Government-Industry Collaboration Strengthens Global Supply Chain Partnerships

The event received strong support from both central and local governments, reflecting Taiwan's public-private commitment to industrial upgrading.

In his opening remarks, President Lai Ching-te praised Taiwan's hardware and hand tool industries for earning global trust through high quality, reliability, and on-time delivery, which make them key pillars of SME exports. He emphasized that the government will continue to collaborate with the industry to tackle challenges such as tariffs, currency volatility, and geopolitics, while advancing digital transformation and sustainable manufacturing to solidify Taiwan's critical role in global supply chains.

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen highlighted that central Taiwan hosts the island's most comprehensive hardware and metalworking cluster. The TICEC exhibition, she said, strengthens Taichung's position as a premier sourcing hub by linking upstream, midstream, and downstream industries — embodying the “front store, back factory” advantage of local manufacturing.

Hsieh Wu-chih, Chairman of the Taiwan Hand Tool Manufacturers' Association (THTMA), noted that TiTE × IHT represents not just an exhibition but a collective platform for industrial breakthrough, uniting government, trade associations, and enterprises to showcase Taiwan's innovation and manufacturing excellence on the global stage.

LANXESS Marketing General Manager Liu Tzu-feng added that Taiwan's manufacturing value lies in its long-term trust, co-creation partnerships, and not just its technology or quality. “Through TiTE × IHT, we have witnessed deepening supply chain integration and stronger global connections — the very foundation of Taiwan's status as a trusted manufacturing partner worldwide,” he said.

Supply Chain Innovation × Smart Manufacturing Transformation

In response to evolving global trade dynamics and customer demands, Taiwan's hardware industry demonstrated remarkable adaptability. Exhibitors featured AI-driven automation, production tracking systems, and low-carbon processes, highlighting strengths in small-batch flexibility, fast prototyping, and reliable delivery.

The “front store, back factory” model allowed buyers to conduct real-time factory verification and negotiations, linking the exhibition floor directly to production bases — once again proving that “the exhibition is the factory, and the factory is the brand.”

Global Hardware Summit: Co-creation and Sustainability in Focus

The Global Hardware Summit, held during the exhibition, explored three core themes: smart manufacturing, net-zero sustainability, and supply chain restructuring. Experts from government, industry, and academia shared insights on how Taiwan can embrace co-creation strategies to navigate global transformations.

Naoya Hasegawa, Chairman of the Tsubame-Sanjo Trade Promotion Association and President of Hasegawa Works Co., discussed regional revitalization and youth talent development in Japan's Tsubame-Sanjo manufacturing cluster.

Dr. Hsieh Tsung-Hsun, Executive Director of the Yousheng Environmental Control Research Center at National Cheng Kung University, emphasized that carbon footprint management and green supply chains have become crucial competitive thresholds in global manufacturing. Only through collaborative innovation and sustainable transformation can enterprises secure leadership in the new industrial order.

The forum also explored smart lean manufacturing and digital legacy, focusing on how AI, automation, and knowledge management can help traditional manufacturers build digital resilience and sustainable value. With its complete industrial clusters and agile supply chain ecosystem, Taiwan is transforming from “manufacturing” to “co-creation,” becoming a trusted strategic partner for global brands and buyers.

Looking Ahead to 2026: Asia's Smart Manufacturing Platform for the Co-creation Era

The next TiTE × IHT will return to TICEC on October 20–22, 2026, under the theme “From Manufacturing to Co-Creation.”

The event will further expand international matchmaking capabilities with AI-powered buyer matching and a cross-border procurement platform, helping exhibitors evolve from showcasing products to co-developing solutions.

Positioned as “Taiwan's largest and Asia's leading” smart manufacturing exhibition, TiTE × IHT continues to deliver tangible results and strengthen Taiwan's reputation as a global manufacturing powerhouse — where the world witnesses the innovation, reliability, and strength of Taiwan's industry.