Cheerful, energetic national
characteristics
The Taiwanese personality is as brightand cheery as the colorful fruits andflowers grown in the island’s southerncountryside. The Taiwanese people’s
strength for staying positive and getting
things accomplished even in the face offailure is the driving force behind creatingeven better products.

What Makes Taiwanese
Manufacturing Great?

Though the country has long possessed a strong profile in terms of tourism,high quality products made in Taiwan are getting more attention in recent years. But
how are these excellent products that are gaining in world market share produced?
We explore the source of Taiwan’s power.

Strength
A sincere attitude toward
everything
Taiwan is made up of many small, highquality enterprises built on the back of asteady and respectful work culture. The
kind and unassuming character of the
Taiwanese makes them trusted by
global companies, and their earnest
attitude is reflected in the quality of theirproducts.

Sincerity

4

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

5Flexible and innovative
power of ideas
The Taiwanese have a uniquely flexible
way of thinking, actively adopting
different elements into their own ideas,
for excellent results. Their alacrity andinherently adventurous spirit are theessential ingredients of their
manufacturing leadership.

A mindset of maintaining
traditions and culture
The last few years have seen a movement
to revive traditional Taiwanese traditions
and products. Businesses are creating
breakthrough products that still integrate
traditions and culture, such as adding
modern elements to a traditional productor renovating classical buildings intomodern facilities.
▶ P.4 〜 6 Photographer

Toshiyuki Kumagai
Living in Taiwan for over 20 years, Kumagai
takes photographs for magazines andadvertisements and has even photographed
the recent Presidents of Taiwan. He also
holds photograph exhibitions and lecturesin both Japan and Taiwan. Kumagai is anavid athlete, having completed a triathlon in
Taiwan including climbing Yushan mountain,
swimming across Sun Moon Lake, andcycling across Taiwan.

CultureInnovative

Cooperation: Tourism Bureau of Tainan City
Government / Taiwan Indigenous Culture Park6

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

7

Pa r t 2028

There is a Wealth of Great Products from Taiwan 28 Brands Received TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS▶Electronics

030
032
034
036
038
040
042

ASUS Seeks Innovation and Beauty in One Product, ZenFone 3
An Auto Tracking Camera that Captures the Speaker at a Distance of 25 meters
Small 20.5g Wireless Barcode Scanner
A Fully-Developed Gaming Laptop Computer - Leading the Market through Consistent Development and Manufacturing
Warms as Well as Cools! The First Temperature Change Gadget Using IC
Personal Computer Cases that Defy Expectations in Terms of Appearance and Noise Level
Capture Objects up to 250m Away in the Dark

【ASUS】【AVer】【MARSON】【MSI】【MOAI】【Thermaltake】【VIVOTEK】▶Industrial Machinery
044
046
048
050

【CHMER】【Delta】【FCS】【HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM】

Wire Electric Discharge Machine Equipped with Artificial Intelligence and a Linear Motor
Articulated Robot for Various Industrial Processes
A Plastic Injection Molding Machine with Dramatically Improved Manufacturing Efficiency
The Only Linear Motors / Torque Motors in Taiwan▶Lifestyle Products【Freeform】【HOKWANG】【Kiddie's Paradise】【Singtex】

052
054
056
058

A Bottle Opener Created by the Second Generation Female President of a Small Factory
A Smart and Quiet Hand Dryer which can be Integrated with a Washstand
Focusing Attention on Commercial Play and Taking on the Malaysian Market
Achieving Breathability, Waterproofing, and Deodorization Using Coffee Grounds

060
062
064
066
068
070

Encouraging the Popularization of Compression Wear
An SUV Winch Allowing Users to Understand Operational Status via Remote Control
An Easily Maintainable Electric Gun for Survival Games
The Latest-Model Road Bike Tires Using a High-Performance Rubber MaterialHigh Quality and Inexpensive Reels Fascinate Fishing Lovers Across the WorldA Breakthrough Yoga Rod with a Shiatsu Massage Effect Produced from Recycled Materials

072
074
076
078
080
082
084

New Rehabilitation Equipment Produced by a Training Machine Manufacturer
A Light, Durable, and Handy High-Quality Wheelchair
A Portable Ophthalmic Digital Camera Used in Mobile Medical Treatment
Doubly-Equipped, Cost Effective Solution to Meet Needs of Special Medical Services
Good News for Patients with Sleep Apnea – A Reduced-size Device that Sucks Air Out rather than Blowing Air In
A Big Hit in Asia! A Walking Stick with a Built-in Chair for the Elderly
A Massage Chair Aimed at Health Care Using IoT

086

Taiwan Economic Data

【About PICT】

088

Six Future Businesses…Address

094

EXCELLENCE INTERVIEW▶Sports & Leisure

Amazing
TaiwanCONTENTS

What Makes Taiwanese Manufacturing Great?

010

What is TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS?
TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION

Pa r t 3012

098

An Enjoyable Place to do Business. The Latest Guide to Taiwan

100

RENOVATIONPa r t 1
014

016

020
024

8

▶Healthcare

INTERVIEW① OtemonGakuin University
Shinji Kondo
INTERVIEW② The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Mikio Numata
004【Aropec】【COMEUP】【ICS】【KENDA】【Okuma】【Sun Own】【Dyaco】【Heartway】【MiiS】【Onyx】【Somnics】【Step2Gold】【Tokuyo】…Telephone number…Business hours / regular business holidays…Charge…Access…Website* Regular business holidays exclude public
holidays and extraordinary holidays.

Feel that Taiwanese is "In Season" at Hip Urban Renewal Spots
102

GOODS

104

TEA

Some of the World’s Most Excellent Architecture
View Taiwan through Some of its Finest Structures

106

CAFE

RESTAURANT

108

HOTEL

110

Convenient to Know Facts about Taiwan

112

List of 28 Brand Companies which Received TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS in 2017 (alphabetical order)

Fall in Love with Taiwan
A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery
ARCHITECTURE

Experience the Cutting Edge of Aesthetic Dining in Taiwan
BOOK

Inheritance of the Past and the Present
A Driving Force of Taiwanese Literature

Taiwanese General Goods Made in Taiwan, for Yourself and for Souvenirs
Enjoy High Quality Taiwanese Tea of Different Flavors and Appearances
A Comfortable Cafe You Want to Drop in on Your Way Home from Work
Attractive Design Hotels that Make a Business Trip PleasantA m a z i n g Ta i w a n

9

ue
og
ol
Pr

"Taiwan Excellence" products are excellent products recognized by the Ministry of Economic
Affairs(MOEA), R.O.C. You can see unique and innovative products during events in various countries andat the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion (see P. 12), so check them out!

What is TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS?

1

5

Poi n t1

Distinguishedawards given to
excellent Taiwan
products"TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS"

EXCELLENCE AWARDS, with the highest

products are selected through a strictlevel Gold Award being given to products

examination process by the Ministry ofwith the most "innovative values."

Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. every

these titles can only be given to only

promotion of Taiwanese products to the

products that stand out in all aspects,

world. The first TAIWAN EXCELLENCE

including R&D, design, quality, and

AWARDS ceremony was Held in 1993, andmarketing. If a product wins any award, it

the 25th ceremony was held in 2017.

can use the Taiwan Excellence symbol for

There are three levels for "Taiwan

The Taiwan
Excellence trademark
is recognized by 102
countries

Receipt of Gold / SilverAwardsall its international marketing andpromotion.

Poi n t2

The TAIWANEXCELLENCE AWARDS
selection process
Products that receive " TAIWANEXCELLENCE AWARDS " in the Goldand Silver categories go through astrict selection process. In fiscal year
2017, over 1,000 products applied,with 10 winning Gold Awards and 20
receiving Silver Awards.

As is evident by the word "Excellence,"

year. The purpose is image enhancement andExcellence": Gold, Silver, and TAIWAN

Applicant screening

The Taiwan Excellence mark consists ofrecognized by Taiwan on the national level.

six arching lines representing the "spirit ofNow, over 20 years have passed since thepursuing happiness in Taiwanese traditional

birth of " TAIWAN EXCELLENCE

culture." At the same time, the symbols

AWARDS," and 102 countries recognize thestands as proof that those products have beenMark as a criterion of product value.

2

3

4

The first selection

Receipt of the TAIWANEXCELLENCE AWARDS

The second selection

Operating authority

From the left, "TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARD," "Gold Award," and "Silver Award."

Organized by Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), MOEA
Poi n t3

A number of
events are held todisseminate Taiwan
Excellence
products to theworld

To promote awareness of Taiwanese
products domestically and globally, events

Excellence products both domestically andoverseas.

are held regularly in various countries, suchpromoting Taiwan internationally.

as Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the U.S.,

Implemented by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)

etc. At these venues, you can experience
Taiwan Excellence-awarded products
firsthand while receiving explanations fromevent staff.
In addition to exhibitions, other events
such as marathon races and charity drives areheld to create positive awareness of Taiwan

10

The Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. is responsible for implementing
policies and regulations governing foreign trade and economic cooperation. Established in January 1969, the BOFT's role andposition have been adjusted regularly to meet the needs of the ever changing international economic and trade environments. The
BOFT has been guiding and working with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) in numerous promotional
trade projects and activities both internationally and domestically. Having worked closely with TAITRA for many decades, theBOFT continues to commission TAITRA for various critical government projects relating to business, trade and investment, while

For example, an event held at the KITTE shopping mall inTokyo in June 2017 drew records crowds.

Founded in 1970 to help promote foreign trade, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) is the foremost
non-profit, semi-governmental trade promotion organization in Taiwan. Jointly sponsored by the government, industry
associations, and several commercial organizations, TAITRA assists Taiwanese businesses and manufacturers with reinforcing
their international competitiveness and in coping with the challenges they face in foreign markets. TAITRA boasts a wellcoordinated trade promotion and information network of over 1,200 international marketing specialists stationed throughout its
Taipei headquarters and 60 overseas offices worldwide. Together with its sister organizations, the Taiwan Trade Center (TTC) andthe Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC), TAITRA has created a wealth of trade opportunities through effective promotion strategies.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

11

ue
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Experience the Greatness of Taiwan Excellence Products Firsthand

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION
The TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION is the place where you can actually see and experience creative and exciting Taiwan Excellence
products firsthand. Visitors can try a wide variety of approximately 100 exhibited items, including gaming PCs, bicycles, and homeelectronics.

T

he TAIWAN EXCELLENCE

In recent years, the concept of “culture and

AWARDS are given to innovative,

creativity” – the movement to create new,value-added products that excel inuniquely Taiwanese value by integrating thethe areas of quality, R&D, marketing, andtraditional into the modern - has extended todesign. Approximately 500 made-in-Taiwan

include manufacturing and urban(MIT) products win the prize every year, anddevelopment.

around 100 of them are exhibited in the"Culture and creativity" is also incorporated

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION.

into exhibits at the Pavilion - Acer’s gaming

Exhibits include outdoor products such as

laptop PC "Predator 21 X," which features abicycles, high-tech products such as PCs andcase suggestive of an armored car and an

smartphones, and home electronics.

internally developed visual line sensor, is based

Many exhibited products are not enclosed inglass cases, so visitors can directly touch them,and some of them, such as a massage chair, areavailable to experience.

techniques.
In addition, the waterless cooking pot madeby Tatung Company- a home electronics

In line with the standards for receiving the

manufacturer in business for 100 years

Taiwan Excellence distinction, all of the- enables users to cook with moisture contained

products displayed feature creative ideas andin the ingredients without any addition of oil

original designs. Some visitors go to theor water. The product was developed to answer

Pavilion to learn more about products fora new demand in Taiwan in terms of thebusiness purposes, while others simply enjoy

increasing number of people who cook at homeindustrial designs as art.

instead of going out to eat.

The products are classified by categories and
The original TAIWAN EXCELLENCEPAVILION, located within the Taipei
Fine Arts Museum, will be closed in
October 2017.

on the company’s PC manufacturing

These and more products that embody both

all feature bilingual(English & Chinese)

Taiwan’s traditional spirit and technologicaldescriptions. Staff dressed in the Pavilion’s

innovation are sure to stimulate your senses.

signature red uniforms are on hand to provide
more detailed explanations in either language.

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION
No. 161, Section 3, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan
District, Taipei City
+886-2-25851659 #12
9:30am-5:30pm (Saturday:-8:30pm) / Business holiday: Monday
7-minutes walk from Exit No.2 of MRT Yuanshan Station*The pavilion will be closed on October 31, 201712

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

13[ Pa r t1 ]Fall in Love with Taiwan

A Journey of Creative andCultural Discovery
The number of overseas tourists in 2016 reached nearly 7.6 million. Although
Taiwan has a host of well known and attractive sightseeing locations, you cantake a step further to experience Taiwan’s beautiful architecture, high profile
restaurants, and unique culture. A few tips from well-informed people can help
you go out on a journey of rediscover y of Taiwan. The more deeply you
understand Taiwan, the more you will fall in love with it.

14

ARCHITECTURE

P.16

RESTAURANT

P.20

BOOK

P.24

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

15

了解最新的台灣建築文化!
Some of the World’s Most Excellent Architecture

View Taiwan through Some of its Finest Structures
Taiwanese architectural marvels have drawn considerable attention in recent
years. Novel designs are incorporated into two Taiwan buildings without being
ensnared by traditional styles. Japanese architect Kenta Sano talked about thelatest trends in Taiwanese architecture and shared some top examples.

Pa r t 1

Fall in Love with Taiwan
A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery

Taiwanese architecture keeps
evolving while integrating foreign
dimensions
Taiwan’s modern architectural masterpieces

N a v i g a t o r

known as a landmark of Taichung to the world.
OMA, a multinational architectural firm, won
the bid to design the Taipei Performing Arts

Kenta Sano

Center currently under construction, a projectthat is also attracting international attention.

like Taipei 101 are best known to the world.

Taiwanese hold the concept that its possible toOn the other hand, there are many classicalincorporate the best resources from overseas

architectures built in the traditional stylewithout stealing business from domestic

found in local villages which produce nostalgicarchitects. Taiwan regularly holds internationallandscapes. People visiting Taiwan, therefore,architectural competitions and views its state-

may often feel a sense of wistful "nostalgia"

of-the-art buildings as Taiwan Brands towhen they see these buildings on the retro

symbolize national culture. In an architecturalstreets.

industry where a lot of countries are more likely

Over the past few years, Japanese architects

to adopt domestic architects, Taiwan can behave grown in popularity. Masters of modern

viewed as an attractive country for foreigners.

architecture, including Tadao Ando, who

In addition, there are opportunities for a wide

designed the Asia Museum of Modem Art,

range of professionals from masters like Ito

Kengo Kuma, who designed Whitestone

to younger architects. This is one of the main

Gallery Taipei, and Toyo Ito, who drew

characteristics of Taiwan’s industry.

attention for "The Kaoshiung World Games
Main Stadium", handle many domestic

Innovative renovation projects
revive aging industrial buildings

projects. Ito in particular has designed a varietyof buildings. Starting with the KaoshiungWorld Games Main Stadium in 2009, he has

Over the last few years, a number of projects

since increased his work in Taiwan, including

to remake plants and storehouses into newbuildings such as College of Social Sciences,

commercial facilities have emerged throughout

National Taiwan University and department

various regions in Taiwan. These developmentbuilding and the Taipei International Trade
Center. His recent work on theNational

1

Taichung Theater has received considerable

National Taichung
Theater

attention both domestically and abroad. The
reason why Japanese architects are preferred

A Unique Metropolitan Opera Houseof Curved Surfaces

may be largely thanks to Taiwanese people’s
deep familiarity with Japanese culture. Many

An opera house designed by Toyo Ito, thebuilding was opened in 2016. Composedof concrete walls and glass walls arranged
alternately as well as interior made up entirely of
three-dimensional curved surfaces, his buildings
are characterized by a unique structure madeup of curved lines without any vertical walls orcolumns.

hold pro-Japanese feelings received throughfilm and music. Japanese style can be said toresonate with a generation of young people
who have absorbed Japanese culture. The close
proximity of the two countries may also be one

No.101, Sec.2, Huilai Rd.,Xitun District,Taichung City

04-2251-1777
11:00am-9:00pm（Fri./Sat.10:00pm）/ No business holidays
15 minutes by taxi from Taiwan High Speed
Rail Taichung Station
http://www.npac-ntt.org

16

The unique and bold design ispraised as "one of the world's top
nine landmarks" by Taiwanese
media.

P ro f i l e
Born in Tokyo in 1974,
Sano majored in geography
at Waseda University andarchitecture at Tokyo
University of Science, andearned his Master’s degree
at Yokohama School ofArchitecture. He began
working for Toyo Ito &Associates and Architects
in 2004 and participatedin Taiwan-based projects
including Kaoshung WorldGames Main Stadium and the
National Taichung Theater.
In 2015, he established
Kenta Sano and Associates,
Architects.

projects are referred to as "WenhuaChuangyua-qu (Cultural and Creative Parks)"
or "Wen-chuang (Culture and Creativity)"
to revive and reinvigorate old historical sites
plants and storehouses. Building interiors adopt
modern tastes while retaining the familiar
flavors of the periods they lived through , andunique shops are spotlighted and booming in
popularity as local attractions.
The pioneer is "Huashan 1914 Cultural andCreative Park" in Taipei City. Once a beer
factory, it was remade into a art hub in 2007.

of the reasons why Japanese architects are so

Likewise, "Songshan Cultural and Creative

accepted.

Park" in Taipei is a cultural nexus built out

In addition, Taiwan is known for welcomingof a closed cigarette manufacturing plant.

foreign talent rather than relying on domestic

Both of these “Cultural and Creative parks”

architects for every project. The Luce chapel inhave received both domestic and overseas

Tunghai University, for example, was designed

recognition as creative bases of art and design

by I. M. Pei, a Chinese-American, and isin Taiwan where old and new meet.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

17

Fall in Love with Taiwan

Pa r t 1

A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery

Taipei 101 was officiallyrecognized in the
Guinness Book of World
Records as the tallest
building in the world until
it was overtaken by the
Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

了 解 最 新 的 台 灣 建 築 文 化 !
3Whitestone Gallery Taipei

4Luce Chapel in
Tunghai University

The fourth traditional Japanese
Gallery in Taiwan

A uniquely-shaped chapel built in
Tunghai University in Taiwan

This gallery was opened in Taipei in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary

This chapel was designed by I. M. Pei, aof the world-renowned Whitestone Gallery in Tokyo. Kengo Kuma created theglobally famous Chinese-American architect,

design, which with its wood-base is characterized by its distinctly Japanese
aspects and is said to be a highly representative work of the designer’s.

and completed in 1963. The building’s roof

No.1, Jihu Road, Neihu District, Taipei City

02-8101-7777
11:00am-7:00pm / Business holidays:Monday and Saturday
from Exit2 of MRT Xihu Station

is designed to held up without any columns,
and its unique, joined-palm shape is known
throughout the world.

1 minute walk
No.1727, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun
District, Taichung City

04-2539-0121（Tunghai University）
35 minutes by taxi from Taiwan High Speed

1

Rail Taichung Station
http://www.thu.edu.tw/english/index.php

The opposed shape theroof is unique to architecture. Mr. Pei is also known for the glass design of the pyramid in the Louvre Museum.

5

College of Social Sciences, National
Taiwan University

A unique, forest-like university library withmushroom-shaped columns
The building designed by Toyo Ito is characterized by
its tree-like outer structure, a roof that looks like floating
lotus leaves, mushroom-shaped columns and curved
bookstands.

No.1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Da'an District, Taipei City

02-3366-8300
8:20am-9:00pm（Sat.9:00am- / Sun.-5:00pm）
10 minutes walk from Exit2 of MRT Gongguan Station
http://web.lib.ntu.edu.tw/koolib/en

2

Taipei 101

Kazuko Fujie was responsible for the building’s furniture design in the building, which anyone over 18 can apply toview at the reception desk.

Taiwan’s Landmark Tower andTourist Hotspot
Taipei’s landmark tower was designed by Li ChuYuan, a Taiwanese architect. The design integrates
the number eight – a symbol of economic prosperity
in Chinese culture – into the building’s structure: ,the main tower features a series of eight segments ofeight floors each and has the appearance of a jointed
piece of bamboo, which also symbolizes success.

No.7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District,Taipei City

02-8101-7777
11:00am-9:30pm（Fri./Sat. -10:00pm, someshops may differ）/ No business holiday

1 minute walk from Exit4 of MRT Taipei101
http://www.taipei-101.com.tw
Station18

Two cultural hotspots driving Taiwanʼs renovation boom
In recent years, Taiwanʼs government has invested considerable resources in renovating old buildings into centers ofcultural and creative (Wen-chuang) commerce. These projects have especially drawn the attention of young people.
Two facilities that symbolize the renovation boom are introduced in detail below.
2

1. The stylish,
creative, and distinctly
Japanese design is
unique to Kuma. He
is also responsible
for the new National
Stadium in Japan.
2. The white exhibition
space has a 7 m-highceiling.

Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

Huashan 1914 Cultural and Creative Park

While the retro exteriors of this former
cigarette manufacturing plant remain, thisinside now houses various museums,
shops, and restaurants. The complex a treat for all architecture lovers – wasdesigned by Toyo Ito.

Huashan 1914 retains the shadow of
its days as a beer factory even after
being transformed into a creative
space consisting of restaurants, shops,
galleries and event spaces, with its
colors and designs all updated into thecontemporary style.

No.133, Guangfu South Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

02-2765-1388
8:00am-10:00pm（in a facility 9:00am-6:00pm）/ Business holiday:Monday
5 minutes walk from Exit5 of MRT Memorial Hall Station

No.1, Bade Road Section 1, Zhong Zhen District, Taipei City

http://www.songshanculturalpark.org

Depending on stores02-2358-1914
5 minutes walk from Exit1 of MRT Zhong Xiao Xing Sheng Station
http://www.huashan1914.com

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

19

了 解 最 新 的 台 灣 美 食 文 化 ！

Fall in Love with Taiwan

Pa r t 1

A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery

RAW
Up-and-coming Taiwanese chef
André Chiang
The restaurant offers a new interpretation of
traditional Taiwanese dishes with the theme of"Nature & Craft." "RAW" leads the food culture
and trends in Taiwan by serving quality cuisine ina relaxing setting. The set course including eight
dishes - which are changed based on seasons are priced at NT$ 1,850 and 2,680 (chef's table).

No.301, Lequn 3rd Road, Zhongshan District,Taipei City
02-8501-5800
11:30am-2:30pm,6:00pm-10:00pm / Businessholidays: Monday and Tuesday
7 minutes
walk from Exit No.3 of MRT Jiannan Road
StationExperience the Cutting Edge of Aesthetic Dining
in Taiwan

http://www.raw.com.tw

Pot-au-feu, a French traditional recipe using Taiwanese
beef. Boudin noir (blood sausage), with Korean apple
pickles.

In recent years, the food scene in Taiwan has been surging thanks to a few innovative young chefs. Here, we
introduce restaurants where you can experience the cutting edge of cuisine. It’s strongly recommended you

Cheftake time out from your busy trip schedule to visit them.

André Chiang

A soft angled and sculptured
wooden structure at theentrance at RAW is made of
Taiwanese Southern Pine.

N a v i g a t o r

The chef "Restaurant ANDRÉ,"
who is in Singapore at present,
has experience in Michelinstarred restaurants in France. He
serves the role of one of Asia’s
representative chefs.

Rie Suzuki

Prof ile
A journalist who came toHong Kong in 2005, she
has regularly contributed tovarious media outlets about
trend, culture, history anddelicacies throughout theworld.

20

Restaurants in Taipei are gaining
publicity thanks to the rise ofinnovative young chefs

top restaurants in countries throughout the

3-stars Parisian chef Yannick Alléno. The

world, including France, to offer creative

chef classed 3 stars of 2 restaurants fromcuisine that integrates traditional Taiwanese

Paris. Now, he currently has 16 restaurants

Hotel dining best suited totravelers with little timedining restaurant, a lounge and a bar, so it
is good news for travelers who wish to spend
more time at the hotel.

ingredients. Every dish is characterized as

all over the world where dishes are preparedWith the continuous opening of first-class

The food scene in Taiwan is gathering

Sophisticated gourmet scenes have been

being brilliant and beautiful, like a workthrough traditional French techniques andinternational hotels, attention is increasingly

momentum thanks to a few talented young

rising throughout countries in Asia,of modern art. Since 2016, the restaurantwith premium local ingredients. "STAY" isbeing paid to dining at hotels with achefs. Their cuisine incorporates imagination

including Hong Kong and Singapore. In

has won a number of prestigious awards,

located in the Taipei 101 skyscraper(see P.18).

reputation for good hospitality. Chinesewith the deep culture and history of theirrecent years, famous restaurants and chefs

including being ranked in "S. Pelligrino

Some tastes unique to the Taiwan branchrestaurant "Ya Ge" at "Mandarin Oriental,

home country. At the same time, some ofhave gathered in Taipei, which is already

Asia's 50 Best Restaurants." Since at present

include desserts made by pastry chefs daily,

Taipei" serves a splendid menu of Chinese

the most renowned chefs from across theseen as a new Asian gourmet city.

it is very difficult to secure a table, it isand STAY’s jointly established cafe, "Sweet

dishes as well as local dishes. Guests canworld have opened restaurants in Taiwan,"RAW," where André Chiang, a young chef

recommended to make a reservation justtea," is also very popular among locals. Make

also try the current trend for Chinese dining

making the local food scene even moreborn in Taipei, serves as the managing chef,

after deciding on your plan to visit Taiwan.

sure to insert a visit to "STAY" into yourpaired with wine, in the restaurant's modern,exciting. Make sure to have the addresses foris among the most popular new restaurants.

If you want to try some of the world’s

travel plans.

sophisticated surroundings, complete withthese cuisine hotspots marked on your travel

Chiang uses his experience at some of theleading cuisine, visit "STAY," managed by

Chinese art. In addition, there is an all-day

planner before arriving.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

21

Fall in Love with Taiwan

Pa r t 1

A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery

The characteristically sophisticatedand warm interior of chef Alléno's
restaurants.

了 解 最 新 的 台 灣 美 食 文 化 ！
Mandarin Oriental,
TaipeiAll day

Café Un Deux Trois

To the gourmet spot, "Mandarin
Oriental, Taipei," which enchants hotel
devotees from around the world.
Opened in 2014 after eight years, this convenientlylocated hotel has good access to sightseeing
spots. Its elegant and classic appearance isprominent among neighboring buildings. Highhospitality is shown in six dining - restaurants &cafe, bar and lounge in the hotel.
No.158, Dunhua North Road, Songshan
District, Taipei City
phone number)

02-2715-6888 (mainBusiness holidays andhours depend on the restaurant

8 minutes walk from Exit No.7 of MRT Nanxing
Fuxing Station
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/taipei

Lunch & DinnerYa Ge

An all-day dining restaurant where you can enjoy cuisines from around the world. Menu items include Taiwanese-style
breakfast such as pancake, noodle and congee.

Cafe

The Jade Lounge

1
Desserts are set in the glass
showcase and are finished at
the counter.

STAY by Yannick Alléno
Enjoy 3 stars French cuisine using
Taiwanese ingredients

The afternoon tea set served with premium Chinese tea is recommended.

Bar

Much-talked-about as a place where you canexperience perfect French gourmet while inTaipei. Recommended set menu items whichchange based on seasons are priced at NT$

M.O.Bar

1,680 〜 (Lunch) and NT$ 2,600 〜 (Dinner).
A number of a la carte menu items are alsoavailable.
Taipei 101 Shopping Mall 4F, No.45, City Hall
Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

02-8101-8177
12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:00pm-10:00pm /No business holidays

10 minutes walk from Exit No.4 of MRT Taipei
101/World Trade Center Station

A sweet and aromatic seafood dishusing fresh crabs. Enjoy it with fruits
and herbs.

An excellent space with an island bar in the centre. Various types of alcoholic
drinks are available.

1.First-classingredients and local
produce are used inabundance.
2.There is a privateroom (max 20 people)
in addition to the main
dining room. The
space is the best forbusiness.

http://www.staytaipei.com.tw
Chef

Yannick Alléno
Following his achievement of threestars in the Michelin Guide at "Le
Meurice" in Paris in 2007, Alléno,
seen as a trend-setter, has quickly
attracted the attention of gourmets
across the world and continues toengage the hearts and palates ofcustomers.
2

22

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

23

了 解 最 新 的 台 灣 讀 書 文 化 !
Recommended
books which an
enjoyable visualelement

An essay written by a commercial planner. Memoriesof the good old days, heard from people in regions
throughout Taiwan, are written alongside pictures withwarm, bold compositions.

Old House Face / written by Yang Chao-Ching & Hsin Yung-Sheng
A book which highlights the detailed designs of classic
old buildings. Especially noteworthy are pictures of
intricately designed tiles and show-windows, not often
seen in other countries.

Cats in Taiwan (tentative translation) / written by Mrs. Cat

A Driving Force of Taiwanese Literature

A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery

Amano introduced books with such impressive
photographs and illustrations including thecovers and binding that you can enjoy them even
if you cannot read Chinese.

A Cachalot on Terrain / written by Wang Yen-Kai, Nobu

Inheritance of the Past and the Present

Fall in Love with Taiwan

Pa r t 1

A photo essay compiling images of cats and theirowners’ lives with them. The writer is Mrs. Cat, a popular
local photographer. A very enjoyable book to pass thetime.

The Starry Night / written by Jimmy Liao
A picture book with a feeling of softness that depicts acoming of age story of a lonely girl. It was a top seller
and was eventually made into a movie.

Taiwanese literature is entering a new stage. Rather than just serious historical
works, there is an increase in pop and humorous novels. Kentaro Amano, atranslator, talked about trends in current Taiwanese literature.

N a v i g a t o r
Kentaro Amano

Prof ile
Born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan,
in 1971. Amano graduatedfrom the Department ofJapanese Language in the
Faculty of Literature, at Kyoto
Prefectural University with adegree in Chinese literature.
He established Bunbundo
Translate Publishing LLC
in 2012, a company which
engages in Taiwaneseand Japanese publicationtranslation and interpretation.

24

A new tide of Taiwanese literaturestressing the importance ofhistory

Although the book uses the classical stylecontemporary readers can read it with afascination for the writing structure.

Taiwanese and Japanese works ofliterature feature the following
differences.

The other is the pop novel which

This is due to the fact that Taiwanese

during World War II, and they both enjoy

people are highly open and communicative,

pop culture influenced by the U.S. after theoften asking others for private information

war ended.

about things such as family and income even

Japanese may feel closer to Taiwan if they

There are two streams of current Taiwaneseemerged in the 2000s in time with theReaders of Taiwanese literature with

if those other people are strangers. Therefore,

find references to "Doraemon" and "Masked

literature – the historial novel written in the

democratization of Taiwan.

discovery some key similarities along withthere is little need to form stories from

Rider" in Taiwanese novels, but theirclassical style and the pop novel. One is theIts main characteristic is that individual

differences from the literature of othertopics that people discuss with each othercultures and values are not completely theexperimentalhistory novel written with thestories are expressed freely, because writers

countries such as Japan.

frankly and regularly.

same.

elegance of the classical style.

were freed from the conventional notion"Stealing a Capybara (tentative translated

Japanese and Taiwanese people live in

After reading stories of Taiwanese people

Their style uses rhyming words while citingthat "Literature should deal with serious

title)", written by Huang Chong-Kai,neighboring countries and share similar

with the country’s special history andclassical writings in a beautiful but complex

historical themes".

concerns a radical President of a fictional

values. They shared their cultures before andgeography, such differences can be easily seen.

style. Respect for classical writing style canWu Ming-Yi is a leader of new TaiwaneseTaiwan that proclaims war against China.

be seen as a rebuke to the Chinese culturalliterature. "The Illusionist on Skywalk",

It describes the complicated geopoliticalrevolution and the desire to depict modern

his representative work, depicts Taipei insituation of Taiwan directly, and expresses

history as a metaphor, and it has been a main

the early 1980s fantastically from a child's

dissatisfaction against politics and society intechnique in the Taiwanese literary world.

perspective. Everyone who reads it will feel

public.

For example, "Mu Song (Seeing My Father

nostalgic for their childhood.

The book just forms one example of theOff)" written by national best-sellingThis new Taiwanese literature functions

many of Taiwanese novels that deal with thenovelist Lung Ying-Tai, consists of a series of

without requiring a knowledge of history.

relationship between people and the society,affectionately written essays on episodes of abut there are few works dealing with humanfamily who spent a tumultuous era together.

relationships and love stories.

A selction of works of Taiwanese literaturetranslated by Amano. A beginner's book
recommended by Amano is "The Illusionist
on Skywalk" (Wu Ming-Yi).

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

25

Pa r t 1

Fall in Love with Taiwan
A Journey of Creative and Cultural Discovery

Three recommended
bookstores even
Non-Chinese readers
will enjoy

了 解 最 新 的 台 灣 讀 書 文 化 !

Three bookstores you will enjoy even if you do not understandthe language, from a bookstore where you dine as well as
read to one filled with owner's preferences.

Mollie Used Books
Fashionable and remarkably
comfortable!
A disruptive used bookstore chain
A new type of chain which has completely changed

1the "dusty and small" image of used bookstores.
2

It is proud of its fashionable displays and a wide
variety of items, and there are a lot of Japaneseand English books. Back issues of magazines arealso available, which is rare in Taiwan. The store has
several locations thoughout Taiwan.
No.2, Lane 40, Section 4, Roosevelt Road,
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City

02-2369-2780
12:00pm-10:00pm / No business holidays
5 minutes walk from Exit 4 of MRT Gongguan Station1

http://www.mollie.com.tw/News̲List.asp

2

3

1
2

1. Besides books, the third
floor has a cooking studioand holds various events.
2. There are approximately
300,000 types of books anda total of one million booksin the store. Approximately
1,200 books are displayedso that their front and backcovers can be seen.
3. Eslite’s Spectrum
Songyan Store is also
recommended (→P. 109).

3

1. A wood-like fashionable interior.
Benches to sit on and read books fora long time are also available.
2. The store has many valuable usedbooks on displayed to be found easily.
3. The store’s appearance is more likethat of a cafe.

Bookstore 1920s

2

A bookstore which connects the
1920s with the present and teaches
the history and culture of Taipei’s
Dadaocheng district

Eslite Bookstore

Visit in the middle of the night! Taiwanʼs 24-hour bookstore

One of the largest scale bookstoresin Asia

Eslite Spectrum Stores are located throughout in Taiwan. Surprisingly,
Eslite Spectrumʼs Dun Nan branch, located in Taipeiʼs bustling East District,is open 24 hours a day! A lot of ofﬁce workers stop there on their way
home from work to relax.

A bookstore that’s not just a bookstore, Eslite home to over 150 vendors - is a nexus of artistic
trends and culture. Among the items on display
are fashionable clothing, interior decoration,and food, all concentrated in one location. It also
has the highest variety of books and is always
crowded with Taiwanese people and tourists
alike.
No.11, Songgao Road, Taipei City

02-8789-3388
11:00am-12:00am (shopping center: -11:00pm)

26

the export of tea leaves. Taiwanese historical andartistic works and design books are displayedin the store, which also features an attractive
assortment of postcards and souvenirs.
No.34, Section 1, Dihua St, Taipei City

Eslite Dunhua

02-2552-1321
9:30am-7:00pm / No business holidays
10 minutes walk from Exit 2 of MRT Beimen Station

A large-scale bookstore with two
floors above the ground and two floors
underground. The second floor is purely
books, while fashionitems, cosmetics, andfood are sold on the other floors. Duringlate night hours, you’ll see more people
sitting down and reading books because
there are fewer visitors during that time.

5 minutes walk from Exit 2 of MRT City Hall Station

2F, No.245, Section 1, Dunhua South
Road, Taipei City
02-2775-5977
1 minute walk from Exit 6 of MRT

http://www.eslite.com

Zhongxiao Dunhua Station/ No business holidays

The bookstore is located on Dihua Street, whichis the oldest wholesale district in Taipei. The store
name "1920s" is said to be named after "the1920s," the area’s most prosperous era due to

http://www.artyard.tw
1

Famous brands and general items are sold on the first floor.
The second floor is the book floor.

1. It has an abundance of visual books enjoyable just by viewing them. 2. A classical building standing in front of Yongle Market.
It was once a drugstore.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

27

[ Pa r t 2 ]E l e c t r o n i c s

There is a Wealth of Great Products from Taiwan

28 Brands Received TAIWANEXCELLENCE AWARDS

I n d u s t r i a l

Taiwan’s history of contract manufacturing long overshadowed the unique brands born on the island. Today,
however, "Taiwan Excellence" products in various fields, including IT, medical technology, and sporting
goods, have begun taking center stage. The following feature articles will explore 28 companies thatreceived the Taiwan Excellence Award following a strict selection process through a look at their products,
all of which are exceptional not just in terms of quality, but also design and innovativeness.

M a c h i n e r y
L i f e s t y l e
P r o d u c t s

New Products Emerge like Bamboo Shoots
after a Rainground of manufacturing. This rich,creative environment can be traced to
Taiwan’s advanced product makingtechniques and top engineering
acumen.
In Taiwan, it’s common for small
companies to seek resources fromacross the world, dispatching theiremployees abroad while inviting
foreign engineering talent to Taiwan.
Of course, Taiwan – which has apopulation of 23 million- has always
looked outside its borders to growbeyond a quickly saturated domestic
market. Everyone who experiences
firsthand the Taiwanese attitude of
optimism and remaining open to newthings will be inspired to feel the sameway.

S p o r t s&
L e i s u r e
H e a l t h c a r e

Recently, products with innovative
designs and functions have come toemerge continuously every year in
Taiwan -- from every industrial field
and region.
Some existing products have been
improved upon to meet the demandsof the present era. Products intended
for simplification by introducing
IoT, and long-awaited products
implemented after research anddevelopment for many years.
It is said that Taiwan produces
new things one after the next, justlike bamboo shoots sprouting in theforest after the rain, and the growthof Taiwan’s manufacturing technology
and engineers serves as testimony tothe fact that it has become a fertile

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS - 28 Brands

28

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

29

E l e c t r o n i c s

ASUS Seeks Innovation and Beauty in
One Product, ZenFone 3▶ASUS Designo Cur ve Monitor▶ZenFone 3
POINT 1

Sophisticated design
The device, molded by the same
precision special technology
used to cut diamonds, balances
design and operability.

POINT 2A high-speed focus
of 0.03 seconds
The TriTech Autofocus function isdesigned to capture the momentof a moving object without any
blur.

POINT 3Irresistible soundEquipped with SonicMaster and5 magnet Speakers, Zenfone
3 can support high audio
resolution.

Abundant video
input terminals

A wireless charger isequipped

The device achieved an 178
degree viewing angle bydisplaying images in an aspectratio of 21:9 on a screen curved
at a radius of 1,800 mm.

Features inputs for Display
Port 1.2 and 3 along withHDMI 2.0 devices.

Wireless charging capabilities
MX34VQ’s based supports the
Qi standard, allowing it to charge
Qi-enabled

ASUS JAPAN Inc.
President

Emilie Lu

angle of visibility, filling your total fieldof vision. When the display is used asa game monitor, you can experience asense of immersion beyond imagination.
ASUS's continues to work toward
bringing a new era in the digital field.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

31

B r a n d sincorporates advanced technologies
freely including a camera which can
autofocus at an ultrafast speed ofapproximately 0.03 seconds.
ASUS JAPAN President Emilie Lu saysthat she is not content with the current
situation.
"What is important is how ourtechnological abilities serve people's
lives. Technology not appreciated bypeople is meaningless. Our commitment
to design and price represents our
feeling that we want more people toenjoy a higher level of luxury.”
The ASUS Designo Curve Monitor isanother product that embodies thisconcept.
With even wider display capabilities
than 4K UHD or full HD, the ultra-wide
curved display screen widens the

2 8ASUS has grown into a global
brand by leveraging its portfolio
as a comprehensive electronics
manufacturer. The company holds a
40% share of the motherboard market
the highest in the world, and is third
in the world for number of consumer
notebook PCs shipped. In recent years,
ASUS has also taken great strides in thesmartphone field, with its "Zen" series
has seen sharp increases in popularity
across the globe.
The latest ZenFone 3 model has
adopted a full-resolution HD display andprovides vivid images with a brightnessof 600nits. The brand has also pursued
excellence in sound quality , with soundplayback at 192 kHz/ 24bit, equivalent
to 4 times the quality of a CD. Withsophisticated design, this device-

30

Ultra-wide curved
surface liquid crystal

A W A R D S

An electronics manufacturer established in the Republic of China (Taiwan in 1989 headquarters is
located in Taipei City). It owes its name to the last four letters of Pegasus, the flying white horse in Greek
mythology. The corporate slogan is "In Search of Incredible (Challenge. Beyond the limit of imagination).

POINT 3

E X C E L L E N C E

ASUS Tek Computer Inc.

POINT 2T A I W A N

Zenfone 3 has received highreviews as a SIM free smartphonedevice not only in Taiwan but inother Asian countries as well.

POINT 1▶AVer PTC500

AVer PTC500 is an advanced
PTZ tracking Camera for lecturerecording and distance learning.

E l e c t r o n i c s

An Auto Tracking Camera that
Captures the Speaker at a Distance of
25 meters

automatically tracks one speaker, thecamera also has an Audience Modefunction that zooms in on a person
among the audience when they stand fora question. It took more than a year anda half of development to put these twofunctions into one camera.
"We spare nothing in our investment
toward technology and human resource
development. One in three employees
is an engineer, and we turn 10% of our
profits into our R&D budget," says Lin.
With a philosophy that places importanceon human resources, the company has
already sent out a number of IoT products
to the market. The conference camera VC
320 is an office tool that adopts Bluetoothand can transfer images and soundwirelessly during conferences to a remotelocation. This excellent tool makes setting
up online meetings easy.
Using the power of IT, the company
continues to grasp the winds of change inan era when our working style is changing,while keeping its feet firmly on the ground.

VC520 Conference Camera is available for web-based or
cloud-based meeting service.

VC320 Conference Camera has a built-in camera,
microphone, and speaker.

AVer Information Inc.
SIU MKT &Sales Div Director

Darren Lin

T A I W A N

The Taiwan Excellence Awards is given
to products with excellent functions anddesign. Out of the 528 products which
won in 2017, only 10 received Goldawards, and AVer’s PTC 500 professional
auto tracking camera was one of them.
About this product, AVer sales &marketing department director Darren Lin
says confidently, "The high-performance AI
and lens accurately track the subject. The
zoom has 30 times optical magnification."
The auto tracking camera tracks andrecords lecturers on stage and at lectures
and at other events. It has the ability
to properly recognize the speaker andaccurately zoom and focus, even from a
distance.
There are many products thatphotograph subjects at 20 times opticalmagnification and 15 meters in distance,
but the company’s product zooms
precisely to the subject at 30 times opticalmagnification at a distance of 25 meters
or more.
In addition to Lecture Mode, which

E X C E L L E N C E
A W A R D S

AVer Information Inc.

B r a n d s

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

2 8

32

-

Founded in 2008, AVer Information is a professional manufacturer of cameras and document cameras, whichdisplay materials on hand through projector at educational sites and business meeting, headquartered in
New Taipei City. They also manufacture and sell auto tracking cameras that record lectures as well on-line
conferencing camera products for IoT. Due to their high development capabilities, they have grown into a global
company with offices in 11 countries around the world.

33

▶Wireless Ring Barcode Scanner (MT500L)

POINT 1Equipped with asmall battery
A two-hour recharge enables
continuous use for 8 hours.

POINT 2

Reasonable priceE l e c t r o n i c s

Small 20.5g Wireless Barcode Scanner
Only a small number of people areaware that the world would be in trouble
if we did not have barcodes. People
would have to wait a long time to pay atcash registers, and commodity inventory
would demand grueling mental workrequiring a good memory. Barcode
readers are the hidden must-have items
for distribution and sales tasks.
MARSON TECHNOLOGY located in
New Taipei City is a company that has
been manufacturing barcode readers
for a quarter of a century. The company
has recently developed the small, light,
and wireless wearable barcode reader
MT500L, which proudly won the 2017
Taiwan Exellence Gold Award. Weighing
in at just 20.5g, the product’s lightness
contrasts with similar products fromother companies that weigh over 100g.
MT500L is a wireless device, so you
can work with both hands freely after
you attach it to your finger. The productalso causes no finger fatigue, because if
you gently touch a button on the side, it
emits a reading laser.
"Not only is it small, but it has excellent
functions. It can even scan a barcode
displayed on a smartphone screen witha laser beam. Ours is the only productin the entire world that can do this,"emphasized Vice President Michael Liu.
In Taiwan, bank accounts are getting
barcoded. If you display your bankaccount barcode on your smartphone
for the cashier to read with the scanner,the funds are deducted directly fromyour account, which means MT500L is anext generation reader corresponding toa cashless shopping system.
As noted above, there are opportunities
to use barcode readers everywhere.
They are starting to be used inwarehouses where inventory is taken
and, recently, in hospitals to reduce
medical errors. For example, now
medical systems in hospital can scan
the contents of medical charts andprescribes drugs through barcodes
attached to straps around patient's
wrists.
"Promotion of IT technologies increases
the demand of barcode readers. We aredeveloping much smaller products to
respond to the barcode on things era,"says Liu.

MARSON TECHNOLOGYCO., LTD.
Vice president

Michael Liu

It is less expensive than those ofcompetitors.

T A I W A N
E X C E L L E N C E
A W A R D S

MARSON TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

2 8

Easily complete tasks using both hands without worrying about the weight.

B r a n d s

34-

A manufacturer of barcode readers established in 1990 (the headquarters are located in New Taipei City),
MARSON has shown its capabilities in the field of sophisticated OEM as well as ODM. The company
produces a wide range of products, including hand-held scanners equipped to cash registers insupermarkets and convenience stores, small wearable devices used for taking inventory in warehouses,
and USB devices that can connect to smartphones.

Scanning barcodes on a smartphone screen with a laser beam was impossible in the past,
but this company’s scanners can read it.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

35▶Compact & high performance

Gaming Notebook[GS43VR Stealth Pro] A 15.6
liquid crystal device mounting
GPU "GeForce GTX 1060" andintegrating 1,152 or 1,280 "CUDA
Cores" computing units

E l e c t r o n i c s

A Fully-Developed Gaming Laptop
Computer - Leading the Market
through Consistent Development andManufacturing

The development of gaming laptop
personal computers always comes inturn with the challenge of heat from
3D-graphics LSI (GPU). In this field,
MSI is already an undisputed authority,
holding the leading market share for avariety of different products in various
countries.
Corporate Marketing, Assistant Vice
President Sam Chern clearly remembers
the moment of joy when he met a wellknown game creator of SQUARE ENIX.
"He went out of his way to show us his
beloved device made by us."
MSI has brought well-balanced
products to the market more quickly
than other companies – that’s thanks
to the company’s practice of internallydesigning heat pipes and manufacturingpersonal PCs frames itself through analmost completely in-house system.
Though this means bearing the expenseof a flat operation, it spares MSI theinconvenience of complying with theschedules of subcontractors (EMS /ODM companies).
In addition, MSI improved the usabilityof its products. Its cooling control
system "Cooler Boost" - which is seen
as a standard - allows users to speed
up the rotation of the cooling fan just bypressing a special button.
Wanting to solidify its lead in thegaming market even more firmly,
MSI is now considering improving thedisplay performance of its middle-sized
products with a less than a 17" liquid
display.
Product Marketing Manager Jacky
Wang says, "The specification of 120
Hz of refresh rate (the number of times
the screen updates per second) is
not exclusive to large-sized products.
We will be able to overcome technicalproblems including costs caused by
the adoption of 120 Hz for middlesized products and increased heatgeneration."

Micro-Star Int’l Co., Ltd.
Corporate Marketing,Assistant Vice President

Sam Chern[GT73VR Titan SLI] A 17.3"
liquid crystal device mounting
GPU "GeForce GTX 1070" andintegrating 1,920 "CUDA Cores"computing units

T A I W A N
2 8[GAMING Headset] The earphones"IMMERSE GH10" accompanied bya removable microphone have larger
than 13.5-millimeter speakers, whicheasily generate low sound.

B r a n d s

36-

Established in 1986 by a member of Sony Taiwan corporation (the headquarters is located in New Taipei
City), MSI focuses on the design, in-house manufacturing, and distribution of motherboards and graphic
boards for desktop personal computers. In 1998, MSI launched its first IPO. It entered the laptop OEM
business and later shifted to in-house brand sales. Since 2012, MSI has focused on gaming models
consistently. The company currently has 12,700 employees worldwide.

[A cooling fan] An in-housecooling mechanism enhances
heat conductivity by using thickheat pipes.

A W A R D S

Micro-Star Int’l Co., Ltd. (MSI)E X C E L L E N C E[GT83VR Titan SLI] An 18.4
liquid crystal device mounting
GPU "GeForce GTX 1070" andintegrating 2,560 "CUDA Cores"computing units

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

37

E l e c t r o n i c s

Warms as Well as Cools! The First
Temperature Change Gadget Using IC▶G2T N1 PLUS Wearable Electric Scarf

One can imagine the role this product could play invarious situations, such as heatstroke prevention
for workers at a construction site under the blazingsun.

The gadget loops around yourneck. A metal part that canbecome cold or warm is placed
directly on the skin (the price isapproximately 115 US dollars).

The product can be used while exercising for suchthings as temperature control while running andduring cooling down.

Power is supplied by theaccompanying battery, and thetemperature of the metal partvaries within a range of plus/
minus 10 degrees.

Clark Lin39

B r a n d s

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

2 8changes the conventional wisdom
regarding coolers.
The gadget is a cube approximately
20 cm on each side, making it easilystorable under a desk so that it does not
get in the way. The device is especiallysuited for people sensitive to heat.

-

38

CORPORATION
Chairman & C.E.O.

A W A R D S

Established in 2003 as an IC/IP vendor with headquarters are in New Taipei City, Moai has evolved aroundproviding OEM services for USB memory makers. While seeking new business opportunities due to theslow adoption of USB 3.0, Moai succeeded in creating IC chips that could warm and cool themselves. The
company has since staked its future on the development, manufacturing, and sales of various electroniccoolers.

The same IC chipmechanism is applied tothis mini cooler, which is
priced very reasonably
at approximately 55 US
dollars.

MOAI ELECTRONICSE X C E L L E N C E

MOAI ELECTRONICS CORPORATION

moderately cooled ice pack continuously
on your neck. As long as the gadget
is energized, it remains cool, so it issuperior to an ice pack.
The G2T N1 has some challenges toovercome, such as achieving a smaller
form factor and improving the life ofbattery, which lasts for 6 hours after an
4-hour charge.
This product, however, is a prototype,
and this version is still 1.0. Clark Lin,
President of Moai Electronics Corp.,
says, "We will keep improving the device,aiming to develop an innovative productlike the smartphone." The company has
already developed mini coolers using thesame IC chips.
This cooling system, which iscompletely different from conventional
ones, is eco-friendly because it does notuse coolants, and Moai has succeededin creating a small sized product thatT A I W A N

The most surprising part of this device
is that it can both warm and cool yourneck, which is made possible by aunique IC chip.
The metal parts applied directly on
the right and left sides on your neck,approximately the size of businesscards, can rise or drop in temperature
through the operation of the warming/
cooling IC chip.
If you try the gadget in cooling mode,
you’ll probably find it cooler than you
expected, about as much as wearing a

E l e c t r o n i c s

Personal Computer Cases that Defy
Expectations in Terms of Appearanceand Noise Level▶Core P5 ATX Wall-Mount Chassis

Ⅳ, emphasizes, "The incorporated

Thermaltake Technology
Co., Ltd.
Integrated Sales &Marketing Dept. IV,
Assistant Manager

Optional parts such as a cooling mechanism are attached to the personal computer chassis.

Allen YenA W A R D S

Thermaltake Technology Co., Ltd.
Headquartered in Taipei, Thermaltake was established in 1999 as the spinoff brand of a PC cooling productmaker. In 2003, it expanded the line of goods to power source units and cases (chassis) sales, which now
form the company’s main sources of current income. It conducted an initial public offering in 2007. In 2016,it launched the direct sales website ttpremium.com. Thermaltake has approximately 170 employees.

B r a n d s

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

2 8

which background noise is 17 dB(A) falls
to within 32.2 dB(A) (about as loud as apencil writing).
Those seeking creativity, innovation,
as well as performance should try
Thermaltake's products.

-

components equipped by users at
immense cost are not required to becovered with cables." The Core P5
weighs over 12kg, but can be hung on awall using television fitting.
The mid-tower personal computercase "Suppressor F51", which pursues
quietness , won the Taiwan ExcellenceAward in 2017. Although it looks very
ordinary, the cooling efficiency was
improved by incorporating meshes into
the top and bottom panels to increase
the airflow in the case. If combinedwith cooling components and a powersource sold by Thermaltake, the noise
measured in an anechonic room in

E X C E L L E N C E

40

cooling mechanism, and also to hide
the cable connecting the integrated
components inside. The cutting board
is hollow. Therefore, as Allen Yen,
assistant manager of Sales Department

T A I W A N

Usually, consumers think that personal
computers should be small and simple.
But Thermaltake’s mid-tower personal
computer case (chassis) "Core P5"defies
expectations. Though some of the
product’s novelty has worn off (it was
released in November 2015), it continues
to meet the needs of so consumers whowant to make their homebuilt personal
computers look larger and more
beautiful.
Core P5 is not actually a box. Fourrods project out from the four corners of
the steel case like a cutting board, andtransparent acrylic plates are attached
to bridge the rods. Of course thisallows dust to go inside, but those who
consider this a drawback are not thetarget user for Core P5.
The main role of the board is to bea wall to fix integrated components,
such as a hard disk drive and a water41

E l e c t r o n i c s

Capture Objects up to 250m Awayin the Dark
VIVOTEK INC.

▶H.265 VAIR Long Range Speed

Dome Camera (SD9364-EH)

VIVOTEK Inc. (TAIEX: 3454) was founded in Taiwan in 2000. Its comprehensive solutions include network
cameras, video servers, network video recorders, PoE solutions, and video management software. To createa sound industrial ecosystem, VIVOTEK has expanded strategic alliances with leading international softwareand hardware partners and works with over 183 authorized distributors across 116 countries.

pan and 220° tilt to capture fine details
at top-notch quality.
For waterproofing and dust proofing,
the camera fully complies with IP66, adust and waterproofing standard.
The camera’s ability to shoot in thedark stems from the fact that it narrows
its irradiation range of the infrared lights
responding to 30 times optical zoom.
The reason why SD9364-EH canenhance low light surveillance is its VariAngle IR (VAIR) technology. It provides
smooth vari-angle adjustment of the IR
illuminators, allowing broad coverage
FOV and highly uniform IR intensity
while avoiding hot-spots traditionallyassociated with IR illumination.

"SD9364-EH", which won the Taiwan
Excellence Silver Award, captures
objects 250m away in the dark withease, and saves the data compactly
using the latest video compression
standard H. 265. H.265/HEVC, the newvideo compression technology can bringout twice the efficiency of standard
H.264.SD9364-EH can 360° continuous

Different from general surveillancecamera manufacturers in Vatics's
knowlege can be applied to review
the setting of the ICs for the standard
H. 265. If Vatics mass-produces ICs
corresponding to the standard H.265
and supplies them to VIVOTEK, theprice competitiveness of surveillancecameras may increase. This is because

VIVOTEK INC.
International Sales
Department 2, Regional
Manager

Sara Ching

the number of suppliers of the standard
ICs complying with the standard H.
265 is still low, and the price of ICs
remains high. VIVOTEK may develop
a competitive edge for products
complying with the standard H.265 due
to its higher compression efficiency
compared to other companies.

T A I W A N

In the surveillance camera market,
there was a significant alternation ofplayers against the background of thecorrespondence to networks (wiredLAN) and the dissemination of thevideo compression. Market sharesby traditional Western manufacturers
became too low for oligopoly, andAsian companies advanced rapidly,with VIVOTEK being the representative
player. The price of VIVOTEK products
is even lower than those made by
Japanese and Western companies.
Sara Ching, the regional manager ofinternational sales department 2, said,"Some of our products are 20% lessexpensive than other companies".

E X C E L L E N C E
A W A R D S-

The video was captured under thesettings of 3-to-8 Mbits of file volume
per second and 36.95 frames per
second.

2 8
B r a n d s

Infrared lights cannot be seen by people, but they are captured by cameras (as images).

42

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

43

Cut EDM

When an electric current is applied toan extract wire stretched lengthwise,
and a metal plate is placed within a few
micrometers, a discharge phenomenon
occurs between the wire and the metal.
The method for processing metal into
a desired shape by melting it withthe heat generated by the discharge
phenomenon is referred to as "wireelectric discharge machining".
It can look like veneer board processing
using an electric fret-saw for arts andcrafts in elementary schools.
Using a wire electric dischargemachine enables precision machiningof extremely hard metal. Boring a holewith a diameter less than 0.1mm, whichis essential for manufacturing, is a pieceof cake.
Headquartered in Taichung City,CHMER is a manufacturer that has
produced such electric dischargemachine for many years. The company
also developed the latest model wire
electric discharge machine "RV 853 L",
which is introduced here.
There are three major features of "RV
853 L".

each other due to the repulsive force ofthe magnet, and a small gap is made.
Therefore, the metal does not wear, andin addition to the durability, the accuracyof the motion which the motor makes ismarkedly improved.
Second, the product is equippedwith artificial intelligence (AI). The AI
informs the user when the parts usedin the machine are consumed. In otherwords, it prevents sudden breakdown
beforehand.
Third, the product is energy saving.
By improving the cooling system, thedevice achieves energy savings ofabout 20%, which in turn brings own
operating costs. But the most surprising
thing about the product is the linear
technology, which took 9 years todevelop.
Linearization of machines has been
advanced in various fields in recent
years, but there are not many examples
that succeeded in electric dischargemachines.
"We should to incorporate newtechnology consistently. I want tomake things that only Taiwan can, andFirst, CHMER has adopted a linear
motor for the driving part of themachine. Important metal parts in thelinear motor are not in contact with

I want countries throughout the world
to recognize that Taiwan has excellent
technology," said President Brad Wang ,who has continually pursued innovation.

M a c h i n e r y▶RV853L-Intelligent Linear Drive Wire

I n d u s t r i a l

Wire Electric Discharge Machine
Equipped with Artificial Intelligence
and a Linear Motor

CHING HUNG
MACHINERY &ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL
CO., LTD.
President

Brad WangT A I W A N

A sophisticated design that's
completely defferent from theconventional clunky design.

E X C E L L E N C E

Central factory in a
suburb of Taichung City
[left]. The factory, which
has acquired ISO 9001
certification, is a highlyorganization operation[right].

A W A R D S

CHING HUNG MACHINERY & ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (CHMER)

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

B r a n d s

A large, highly visible operation panel is placed in front of
the machine.

2 8

44

Equipped with a management system that automatically
circulates and adjusts the temperature of the coolant water.

-

Equipped with a linear motor to eliminate backlash.

CHMER is an electric discharge machine manufacturer founded in 1975 (the headquarters is located in
Taichung City). Electric discharge machining is a technology that melts, cuts, and shapes metal by electric
sparks generated from electrodes. The company has sharpened their technological skills as they have grown,
and have in turn developed machine tools for electric discharge machining, wire cutting, and high speed
machining. CHMER holds roughly 50% of the market in Taiwan and is aiming for further expansion overseas.

45

POINT 1

Simple design
Modern design is achieved by
avoiding cable entangling during
operation.

POINT 2

Handles a variety ofoperations
The robots can handle a varietyof operations, including solderingand screw fastening, by attachingdifferent parts onto the head.

The declining birth rate in many countries,
such as Japan and Taiwan, has caused
labor shortages and become a majorsocial issue. Delta Electronics developed
the high-performance Articulated Robot
DRV70L and DRV90L Series as a solution
for an insufficient labor force.
The first-generation product was madefor simple tasks, such as moving objects
weighting approximately 10 kg horizontally.
A second-generation product has since
been developed, and can perform more
complex operations, such as solderingand screwing processes. "In the future, wewill also be able to do manual work suchas grinding with our articulated robots,"says Peter Peng the Director of Delta's
Robot Automation business department.
His confidence comes from Delta’s
pride as a leader of electronic component
manufacturing. All of the technologies

that the company has developed todate are now fully demonstrated in the
manufacturing of these robotic arms.
By designing all of the key parts inhouse, including robot controllers,
servo drives, and motors, the company
succeeded in reducing the product's
size while maintaining high performance.
Delta's articulated robots are able toachieve quick and precise 25mm verticalmovements and 350mm horizontal
movements, all performed within 0.5
seconds.
Delta’s articulated robots have anotherstrength: a high degree of reliability.
Being one of the world's top power
supply and cooling fan manufacturers,
the company’s products go through afull range of strict quality control andrigorous testing processes. In addition,
their industrial robots are actuallyused as manufacturing tools at theirown company’s factories, and haveshown perfect results in operation andmaintenance.
The manufacturing industry has
transformed from a mass production
system to a small-lot production system toproduce a wide range of different items.
Moreover, the turnover rate for sending
new products to market continues torise. If a company needs to make a large
capital investment every time when theycreate a new production line, their funds
will quickly run out.
"In that respect, the industrial robots
can be made to support a variety of
production lines by simply rewriting theirprogramming. These arms are suitable forthe modern manufacturing industry due totheir high flexibility," says Peng , pointing
to a bright prospect for the robotic age.

M a c h i n e r y▶「DRV90L」「DRV70L」

I n d u s t r i a l

Articulated Robot for Various Industrial
Processes

Delta Electronics, Inc.
Director
Robotic Automation
Business Dept.
T A I W A N

Peter Peng

E X C E L L E N C E

At the 26th Taipei International Machine Tool Show (TIMTOS), Delta Electronics articulated robot workstation, integrated with a
CNC machine, MES (Manufacturing Execution System) and cloud, produces customized gifts on site.

2 8
B r a n d s

46-

Delta, founded in 1971, is a global leader in power and thermal management solutions and a major player inseveral product segments such as industrial automation, displays, and networking. Its mission statement,“To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,” focuses on addressing
key environmental issues such as global climate change. As an energy-saving solutions provider with corecompetencies in power electronics and innovative research and development, Delta's business categories
include Power Electronics, Automation, and Infrastructure.

A W A R D S

Delta Electronics, Inc.

Delta's robot arm demonstrates
synchronous resonance with
20 music metronomes in the
National Museum of Natural
Science in Taiwan.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

47

I n d u s t r i a l

A Plastic Injection Molding Machinewith Dramatically Improved
Manufacturing Efficiency

M a c h i n e r y▶HB-350RVThe melted plastic is injected from a long nozzle into the molds, which areinstalled on the side of the cube.

Fu Chun Shin Machinery
Manufacture Co., Ltd.
Vice General manager

Benjamin Lee

Productivity was improved, because
the machine was downsized bychanging its operation system to fix
the molds onto the machine.

2 8
B r a n d s

49-

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

A W A R D S

48

But FCS’ new horizontal rotation system
requires each mold to be installed on
4 sides of the cube, reducing the sizeof the machine, meaning even smallerscale factories can use it.
In addition, "HB-R series" is designed
to produce two products per one
process by providing injection ports not
only on the front side but also the backside.
"We just began sales in 2016, andthe number of machines is increasingaround the China. I hope to increase
our market share in ASEAN countries,
where we have established sales
outlets, and to also enter India to do soin the future," said Lee.

E X C E L L E N C E

A plastic processing machine manufacturer established in 1974 (the headquarters is located in Tainan City). It
mainly manufacturers large machines using a technique called injection molding to inject and fill the melted
plastic into molds. With a strong focus on R&D, FCS produces one new machine after another, and its scale hasgrown to include three factories in Taiwan (total area of 120,000 m2) and sales bases around the world.

The secret to the improved performanceof FCS’ products lies in the moldoperation system. For conventional
injection molding, some molds are
installed on huge, vertically-standing
disks, which are rotated while the melted
plastic was cast from the injection port,
as if the revolving cylinder of the revolver
is rotated to strike the firing hammer at
the top point.
For "HB-R series", however, molds
are installed on the side or sides of thecube, and plastic is cast while the cube
is rotated horizontally.
If four molds are used, the conventional
disk system needs to prepare a hugedisk on which four molds can be set.

T A I W A N

Fu Chun Shin Machinery Manufacture Co., Ltd. (FCS)

A machine tool for melting raw plastic
materials and injecting them into molds
to produce products is called an
injection molding machine.
FCS manufactures the most high-techplastic injection molding machines in
Taiwan.
The company’s pride is its "HB-R
series", which includes smaller-sizedmachines that can produce relatively
large plastic products efficiently.
Vice General Manager Benjamin Lee
says, "Plastic is used as a material
for the bodies of next generation
automobiles. To respond to thatdemand, we developed machines which
can be produced in larger volume."I n d u s t r i a l

The Only Linear Motors / TorqueMotors in Taiwan

M a c h i n e r y

HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM CORP.
A precision machine manufacturer established in 1997, HIWIN produces linear technology and positioning
machines (the headquarters are located in Taichung City). The company’s products include linear motors,
linear actuators, AC servo drives, and precision positioning machines for cutting-edge fields such as
semiconductors, biology, and medicine. The company have over 10 sales offices centered on Western, Middle
East, and East Asian markets,.

▶DiAMOND
POINT 1

Dynamic balance
Various balance control systems
compensate power asymmetry
generated by the rotation of
bearings and motors.

POINT 2Extremely highprecision
The equipment of linear motors,
porous air bearings, SiC ceramic
guides, etc, does not spoil
reliability and accuracy even if
used for a long period.

Linear actuator

Positioning
measurement system

Linear motor

Torque motor

AC Servo motor

Drive

Linear motor stage

Linear + Rotary Robotabilymotor & abilyrobot

The precision positioning stage is an essentialmachine for manufacturing semiconductors. If silicon,
the semiconductor material, is placed on the disk
(stage), the disk moves vertically and horizontally with
nano-meter-level motions according to the computer
program. In response to the motion, electronic
components and circuits are printed from above.

A line of HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM Corp products.

E X C E L L E N C E
A W A R D S
2 8
B r a n d s

50

not occur, because there is no contact
between metals. Therefore, smooth andaccurate movement is possible.
In addition, balance control by uniquecounter balancers and error correcting
systems compensate for the power
asymmetry generated by motor motion.
This significantly reduces errors of themachine movement.
For the manufacturing of this machine,
the research and development team of
HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM conducted alldesign, component manufacturing, andsoftware programming. This was madepossible by the company’s backgroundas a precision machine manufacturer
with high-level linear technology,
including linear motor manufacturing.
Linear technology is a leading-edge
technology which is expected to be
applied in various fields in the future.

T A I W A N

DiAMOND is a next generation
precision positioning stage developed
by HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM Corp., aglobal company headquartered in
Taichung. It won the Taiwan ExcellenceGold Award in 2017, for its exceptionallyhigh precision.
The precision positioning stage is an
essential device for semiconductor
manufacturing. For semiconductor
manufacturing, nano-meter-level (onebillionth of a meter) units of minuteelectronic circuits are printed on asilicon plate. At this time, the precision
positioning stage positions the siliconplate in nano-meter-level units according
to the program.
The secret of DiAMOND's precision lies
in its driver and balance control systems.
Linear motors and air bearings are
adopted into the drive system. Errors
resulting from friction and abrasion do

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

51

L i f e s t y l e
P r o d u c t s

A Bottle Opener Created by the Second
Generation Female President of a
Small Factory▶Ganbei Bottle Opener

The ring groove of the opener is hooked on the cap of the bottle. The cap canbe easily removed from the bottle.

A bottle opener with a simple,
modern design.

Danielle Chang

B r a n d s

53

2 8

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n-

Now the company distributes 12 items in
total, including the bottle opener as wellas lighting equipment and dishes.
Incidentally, one thing we noticed was
the number of women employed. "Whenthe first president was in office, mostof my colleagues were male. But now,the number of female workers is higher
compared to that of male workers.
Quality inspection, packaging, and aftersales care requiring delicate attention
are tasks now mainly given to female
employees." said Chang.
Under Chang’s direction , diversity
seems to function well in the company.

A W A R D S

52

Freeform Marketing Ltd.
Brand Director

E X C E L L E N C E

A small factory established in 1978, whose strong point was processing zinc alloys (the headquarters is
located in Changhua City). They began as a mold building manufacturer and now conduct compression
molding utilizing mold technologies. Since the second generation president took over, the company has
actively started the development and branding of in-house products, including houseware items made ofzinc alloy with excellent design.

that I would like to make modern andinnovative housewares made of zincalloys in the future."
Chang's company was establishedby the first president as a metal moldmanufacturing subcontractor 40
years ago. Utilizing the company’s
technologies, their business expanded
to compression molding of zinc alloys.
Now, they have technology that canshape anything, from screws 2cm inlength to model cars as long as 1m.
However, only performing
subcontracted work comes withlimitations, and Taiwan has become
involved in cross-border price wars due
to globalization.
"Subcontract work is important.
However, it is difficult to survive throughthat alone. That is why we decided tofeed our way into high value-added
business to consumer products.
Thankfully, we obtained the firstpresident understanding." says Chang.
As soon as she became president,
she launched the original brand "no.30"
named after the atomic number of zinc.

T A I W A N

Freeform Marketing Ltd.

This bottle opener, which might beplaced in a stylish showroom, is very
easy to use. Just mount the inside of
the product to the mouth of the bottle,
hook it to the edge of the cap, and apply
force.
If you squeeze the opener in your handduring use, force is transmitted to thebottle cap efficiently. You should never
apply incorrect force to the bottle andspill its contents.
The product is made out of a zinc alloy.
It is produced by compression molding,
The technology is characterized by thehigh precision and mass production of
products with complex shapes. If anotherprocess, such as surface treatment, isinterposed during compression molding,a greater variety of products can beproduced. This technology is excellent
for manufacturing housewares.
The person who created this novelty is
Danielle Chang, the second generationpresident of this zinc alloy processing
company.
She says, "I had seen my father's
factory since I was a child, and I thought

L i f e s t y l e

A Smart and Quiet Hand Dryer which
can be Integrated with a WashstandP r o d u c t s▶Deck-mounted Hand Dryer (EcoTap D / EcoTap W)

HOKWANG INDUSTRIESCO., LTD.
President

James Hsu

Wall-mounted hand dryers are mainly
used in office restrooms, but the"Deck-mounted Hand Dryer" defies thisconvention.
This product is integrated with awashstand and installed adjacent to thefaucet. After you wash your hands, if you
move them sideways to dry them, thenthe dripping water falls into the sink.
The noise created by the motor andthe fan is less because they are installed
under the washstand.
"A request from a customer to lower
the noise was the trigger for thedevelopment of this product. First, wecame up with the idea to separate theparts so that the noise will come fromthe main body.
Then we thought that we would
develop a unique product with an
attractive design," said Hokwang
President James Hsu.
Although it was difficult to develop thissuch a novel hand dryer, they managed
to complete the product using thelessons and technologies cultivatedby manufacturing hand dryers forapproximately 20 years.
For example, air is blown from the lower
part of the wash stand upward, so theforce of wind weakens before it hits thehands.
To overcome this problem, the shapeof the air outlet was devised to increase
the force of the wind.
The company, focusing on thedevelopment of innovative products, isalso committed to personnel training.
One of these efforts is to dispatch
employees overseas annually. The
attitude of carefully nurturing young staff
is largely a result of Hsu’s humblenesstoward other people.
"I want to broaden our presence inJapan and Middle East markets, into
which we have not expanded," said Hsu.

POINT 2

Washstand-integrated
type

Quiet

If the hand dryer is installed adjacentto the faucet, water dripping fromthe user's hands falls directly into thewashroom sink.

The motor and fan that blow the air are
installed under the washstand, so thenoise level is low compared to those of
conventional products.

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B r a n d s

54

A W A R D S

A manufacturer of hand dryers and soap dispensers established in 1996 (the headquarters is located in
New Taipei City). The company has developed various types of products and received over 200 patents.
Hokwang's main customers are overseas in Western countries, and some of its recent products have been
adopted for European rail vehicles. The company puts great effort into CSR activities, such as communitybased environmental protection.

POINT 1E X C E L L E N C E

HOKWANG INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.

T A I W A N

The product is a simple, modern
blower. The air blown out
through the blower dries wet
hands.

EcoMo is an ergonomic, high speed, wheelchairfriendly hand dryer. Unlike other vertical hands-in
dryers, no matter where you are, in a wheelchairor with a crutch, users can effectively dry theirhands. It is also a great hand dryer for high traffic
locations, with its absorbent, ceramic pad thatprevents water overflow. Lastly, there is an antibacterial protection cover and super HEPA filter,
which eliminates over 99% of any present bacteria!

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

55

L i f e s t y l e

Focusing Attention on Commercial Playand Taking on the Malaysian Market

P r o d u c t s▶Icy Ice Building Set (KC0005)

You can freely play with animals
and towers by combining four-color
blocks. Everyone from children to
adults can enjoy these toys.

E X C E L L E N C E

Kiddie's Paradise Inc.
C.E.O. - Equivalent to
COO in US organization

Elton Chiu

A W A R D S

Kiddie's Paradise Inc.
Established as an import company of toys and childhood-education supplies in 1987 (the headquarters is
located in Taipei City). It began exporting its own brand products in 1997 and launched the in-housebrand "WEPLAY" in 2000. Its brand products have won industrial design awards in Germany and Japan.
After studying abroad and working in the U.S., the current CEO joined the company in 2009 with the goal ofincreasing WEPLAY’s overseas business.

2 8
B r a n d s

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n-

56

block," said Chiu. "So, this product isless likely brought into general houses.
But there is absolutely no problem to
set the product in nursery schools andkindergartens. Our company prepareda three-dimensional design drawing
of a product with higher durability as acommercial equipment."
Such product positioning is working
well and there are only a few directcompetitor products. Kiddie's Paradise
Inc. plans to strengthen exports toEnglish-speaking countries in Southeast
Asia such as Singapore and Malaysia
in the future. The company has alreadybeen exporting its products to the U.S.
"The Malaysian market is hampered
by customs duties, but popular trends
in Singapore transfer easily, and thebirth rate is high. We're best off taking
advantage of opportunities there," said
Chiu.

T A I W A N"We want to create more enjoyablerole play." said CEO Elton Chiu. Basedon such a hope, Kiddie's Paradise Inc.
created the play equipment KC0005.
The product features a snowflake
motif and is made of polyethylene (PE)plates with diameters of 22.5cm and10cm respectively. Both of the plates
have eight notches. You can selectthe color of the plate from four colors.
The diversity of the combination ofthese plates stimulates the creativity ofchildren. And the fact that KC0005 canbe stored compactly is good news forbuyers (the small plate can be fit in thecenter of the large plate).
In the building toys market, brands
like LEGO reign supreme. KC0005,
however, does not always compete withthem, because Kiddie's Paradise Inc.
sells KC0005 as commercial equipment.
KC0005 can be stored compactly but
each piece is larger than an ordinary57

L i f e s t y l e
P r o d u c t s

Achieving Breathability,
Waterproofing, and Deodorization
Using Coffee Grounds

Roasted Beans▶S.Café® Design Jacket
POINT 1
Coffee Grounds

Highly elastic,
comfortable clothing
The high elasticity makes forstress-free wearing.

S.Café® Yarn

The left image is the direct line of vision. The right image is seen with the electron microscope. Coffee grounds are extracted
from coffee beans, and the grounds are refined into threads.

POINT 2

2 8Singtex Industrial Co., Ltd.
Chairman

Jason Chen
A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

59

B r a n d s

58-

Established in 1989, a manufacturer of highly funtional fibers (fabrics) and clothes with excellent deodorization,waterproofing, and breathability (the headquarters are located in new Taipei City). Fibers account for 75% ofsales. High profile customers include The North Face, Timberland, and the acquisition of these clients has
greatly expanded Singtex’s revenue. In 2010, it succeeded in developing a fiber using coffee grounds. Since
then, it has been become a regular recipient of the Taiwan Excellence Awards. Singtex made its initial public
offering in 2014 and has approximately 790 employees.

A W A R D S

Singtex Industrial Co., Ltd.

grounds.
It is well known that coffee grounds
can be used as an air freshener. This isbecause the grounds generated during
the roasting process have a honeycomblike structure which captures substancesthat cause odor. In order to sell fibers
containing coffee husks widely, however,they must also support light colors.
That is why Singtex shrinks piecesof coffee grounds into particles with a
400nm diameter and mixes the required
amount into fibers. If pigments or othermaterials are added, the textiles can

E X C E L L E N C E

In addition to breathability andwaterproofing, the clothing
has excellent deodorization
properties functional even on hot
summer days.

be colored pure white. Coffee grounds
contain a lot of oil. Singtex never wastes
this oil. Instead, it uses coffee oil as aporous membrane which determines
properties of breathability andwaterproofing (repellency).
Interesting, luxury brand clothingcompanies such as Timberland, The
North Face, and Wacoal sell clothes with
S.Café®s brand name displayed on thetag. The fiber is enjoying fame similar
to that of the artificial leather Clarino.
Singtex Chairman Jason Chen explained
the reason with a bright smile, saying"Eco-friendliness reassures consumers,
while increasing the brand power ofclothing."
Singtex not only develops the fibers but
also its own clothing.
Recently, the company finisheddeveloping a down jacket with enhanced
stretching properties that uses thermocompression to prevent water fromentering the garment. Products using
S.Café® are promising.

T A I W A N

Breathability andwaterproofing

Clothes with excellent breathability andwaterproofing, mostly associated with
GORETEX, are no longer uncommon.
In the Japanese market, which issensitive to body odor, clothes like socks
promoting deodorization are regular
items. However, there are still few fibersthat have achieved these functions
by reusing waste products. Singtex
Industrial Co., Ltd., has developed a fiber
called "S.Café®" made of used coffee

S p o r t s&
L e i s u r e▶TRI-COMPRESS (SS-3T-109M-BK/OR)

Lower body compression“COMP-E-ST-02M-BK/
LIME”. For marathon
runners.

The red version of thecompression wear "SS3T-109M-BK/OR" fortriathlon.

2 8
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60

A W A R D S

In 1963, the father of the current president began production of in-house brand goods in Taichung. In 1999,
the company in its present form was established and expanded its focus on wetsuits. It advanced into thecompression wear market in 2014 and deepened its involvement in the marathon culture as a sponsor of"Soochow University International Ultra Marathon", in which participants have to contend with s travel timeof 24 hours.

increasing the sales, and therefore it has
shifted its business focus from OEM toin-house brands.
In conclusion, Wei said, "Japanesebusiness people see customers off until
they disappear from view. In a manner
similar to that, we remind ourselves
to work with care." Aropec Sports willcontinue to manufacture more excellent
brand products.

E X C E L L E N C E

Aropec Sports Corp.

product. "Tri Max," fabric developed incooperation with a middle ranking fiber
manufacturer after trial and error for two
years, has higher moisture permeability
than conventional products.
An interesting aspect of the product’s
design is that the rubber material
bearing the compression bonding isused on the backside. The lateral sidesof the wetsuits are devised to stand out
vividly in red and yellow.
The cost performance of the products
is also high. Aropec Managing Director
Marvin Wei said, "Compared with
Western brand products equivalent infunctionality to our products, pricesof our products are about half that ofthose of Western products. This has
been recognized by the U.K. magazine
Triathlon Plus, and we received the Top
Value award." The company considers
the supply of their products to the world
by itself to be more important thanT A I W A N

Encouraging the Popularization ofCompression Wear

Using exercise tape has various
effects, including the aid of muscle
movement, the prevention of injuries,
and the improvement of sustaining
power and instantaneous force. It is,however, necessary to have advanced
techniques and sufficient knowledge
to sufficiently bring out the effects oftape. A big topic among sports fans is"Compression Wear," which produces
effects similar to those of tape justby wearing it. The clothes tighten to
your body appropriately and improvethings such as muscle stability andblood circulation. Aropec Sports hasdeveloped more functional compression
wear by using the technology cultivatedthrough the long time manufacturing of
wetsuits.
SS-3T-109M-BK for triathletes, oneof the company’s second-generation
creations, is a particularly good example
of Aropec’s work to develop this kind of

Aropec Sports Corp.
Managing Director

Marvin Wei
A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

61&Comeup Industries Inc. developed
a new type of winch for SUVs with afunction called Intelligence Dashboard(IDB). IDB is a system that displays
important information, such as battery
level, winching in/out operation, andoverheating, on the panel of the winch
body and on the remote control at hand.
“Compared to the old days, theperformance of the winch has been
improved. However, this has made almost
all winch products similar and difficult todifferentiate. That is why we developed
the IDB as a new approach to thisproblem," said President Duncan Tsai.
"In developing the latest model with IDB,
Seal Gen 2, we made a considerable
effort in design to differentiate it fromcompeting products," added David
Lin, Manager of sales and marketing
continues.
Making the decision for a new design
was difficult. At first, COMEUP asked
external industrial designers to support,
but it was difficult to achieve compact
design that was highly waterproof andstrong. Finally, they settled on their own

design. They also stuck to paint, adopting
high-tech paint that passed a 200 hours
salt spray test. The company was
originally a specialized manufacturer ofindustrial winches used at construction
sites. Their products had a reputation
for the basics of power and durability.
Comeup, however, sought to challengethemselves in a new field and succeed
using their technology as well as tobroaden their perspectives toward design.
Since then, sales of sports-related
products have increased to account forhalf of the company’s revenue.
The secret of their development
capability lies in the ratio of techniciansin the organizational structure. One tenthof all employees belong to the R&D
department, and even the managerial
staff are former engineers. “I would like the
IDB and design achieved in winches for
sports to feed back into the engineering
department,” said Tsai.
Comeup is entering a positive spiral ofdevelopment for the whole company, inwhich a new technology developed in one
department is implemented in another.

L e i s u r e▶Electric Winch (Seal Gen2 9.5i/9.5si/9.5rsi)

S p o r t s

An SUV Winch Allowing Users to
Understand Operational Status via
Remote Control

COMEUP
INDUSTRIES INC.
President

Duncan Tsai

COMEUP
INDUSTRIES INC.
Manager of Sales &MarketingDavid LinT A I W A N

A small and excellently designed
winch. The upper panel of the main
body and the remote control display
important information including theremaining battery level.

E X C E L L E N C E

The company manufactures winches
equipped on fire-fighting vehicles forrescue during fires, in addition to thosefor enterprise and SUVs.

A W A R D S

COMEUP INDUSTRIES INC.

B r a n d s

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62

-

Off-road racing, a formof racing where SUVs
compete in nature, is a
popular motor sport inWestern countries.

Comeup Industries is a winch manufacturer founded in 1975 with headquarters in New Taipei City. They
began operations as a manufacturing and sales company of industrial winches for construction sites.
Since then, it has grown in step with the Taiwanese architectural boom and has climbed to the top of thedomestic market. After the momentum of the construction industry in the 2000’s faded, they moved into
the off-road sports market for outdoor SUVs.

63

POINT

Maintenance is
now simple
The gun barrel can be opened
upward to easily remove the BB
bullet shooting mechanism for
maintenance.

CXP-UK1 is a toy gun which shoots
BB bullets electronically. Its weight is
so close to that of a real gun that you
may feel uneasy picking it up. Naturally,
the product is adored by survival gamelovers.
The manufacturer is ICS Corporation,
which has produced toy guns inTaichung City for approximately 30
years. ICS manufactures mainly two
types of guns - one is designed to beeasy to use, and another has parts
rendered as close to a real gun as
possible.
C.E.O. DON Chu, said, "We began
manufacturing toy guns after we learned
the precise dimensions of actual gunsfrom local buyers. We adhere thoroughly

approximately 400 parts, which aremanually assembled. That means thatwhen you take care of your gun, youmust manually disassemble all thoseparts. The heart of the gun, its shooting
mechanism, is particularly delicate anddifficult to maintain.
To address this problem, ICS integrated
the shooting mechanism together intoa “gear box”. In addition, the structureof the barrel was made to open easily,allowing the quick removal of the gearbox. This design dramatically reduces
maintenance time, which usually requires
at least 30 minutes.
"The structure of the gear box is one ofthe original technologies in my company,
and it has been incorporated into our all

to guns that look authentic."
The reason why ICS's products are
popular is their easy maintenance.
A standard electric gun has

guns for survival games. They are highly
reputed," said Chu. If you would like toknow more about them, just visit the ICS
website.

L e i s u r e(CXP-UK1)&▶Electric Toy Gun

S p o r t s

An Easily Maintainable Electric Gun for
Survival GamesI CHIH SHIVANENTERPRISE CO., LTD
C.E.O.

DON Chu

CQB (shortened barrel for
closer battle) size. The fulllength is 795–700mm andthe weight is 2,700g. The
inner barrel length is 261mm.

T A I W A N
E X C E L L E N C E

Carbine (small rifle) size.
The full length is 906–
811mm, and the weight is2,920g. The inner barrel
length is 372mm.

A W A R D S

I CHIH SHIVAN ENTERPRISE CO., LTD (ICS)-A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

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64

2 8

Modeled based on the M4
Carbine Gun used in the
U.S. Army with a design
customized for survival
games.

A toy gun manufacturer established in 1998 in Taichung City. The company, which began manufacturing toy
air guns for children, now makes gas guns and electric guns for survival games, which require a higher levelof quality. Almost all of the parts are manufactured in ICS’s own factory, with 1,000 to 2,000 guns produced
manually per day according to orders.

65

S p o r t s&
L e i s u r e

The Latest-Model Road Bike Tires
Using a High-Performance Rubber
Material

KENDA RUBBER IND. Co., LTD.
Since its establishment in 1962 in Changhua Country, the company has been manufacturing all kinds of tires
for automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, and heavy agricultural vehicles. Their bases have expanded globallyto Asian and Western countries with more than 10,000 employees in total and 800,000 tires and tubes
produced per day. The company is one of the top five automobile tire manufacturers five in the world.

▶Road Racing Tire

KENDA RUBBER IND.
Co., LTD.
Assistant Vice President

Lorder ChenVALKYRIE is a road racing tiredeveloped by Kenda. It is a highend model whose tire performance,
including durability and rolling resistance(*1), are approximately 20% higher thanthat of conventional tires.
A special rubber called R3C, originallydeveloped for use in automotive tires, isthe primary tire material.
Carbon is usually added to raw
materials to improve the strength of tirerubber. For R3C, additional mixing ofsilica (fine silicon dioxide) improves theresults, such as braking at high speeds.
Moreover, the ideal tread pattern(groove-shape) was simulatedusing a computer. Tire performanceadjustments through high levelpressure measurements, drainage
measurements, and environmental tests
for temperature and wind, similar to
those used for automobile tires.
"To sum it up, VALKYRIE is a productdeveloped with generous use of
automobile tire materials and design
technology applied to bicycle tires," said
Lorder Chen, Development Quarters
Manager.
Kenda Corporation is a reliable
manufacturer that can produce tires forvarious types of vehicles. Kenda has
multiple research and development
departments, used for automotive,
motorcycles/powersports, and bicycles.

was upgraded by making fine

These departments share each other’s

technical expertise and as a result, they
can develop cutting edge performance
products.
Currently, the company is developing
tubeless tires (*2), because it anticipatesgrowing demand due to the increase of
public transportation like shared bikes.
“In fact, we have produced a standard
tube type version of the VALKYRIE Pro,
which uses high performance R3C
rubber and K-Armor puncture breaker,
as well as a tubeless version of the
VALKYRIE Pro,” said Chen.
VALKYRIE is the name of a deity
who appears in Norse mythology whorushed through battlefields and had noblindspots.

*1 Resistance generated when a tire rolls over the road. The lower the resistance, the better the tire.
*2 A tire filled with net-like strongly elastic rubber rather than a tube to be inflated. It is also called an airless tire.

POINT

VALKYRIET A I W A N

Successful improvement of rolling
performance and durability withhigh-performance rubber "R3C"and "KA".

The high performing VALKYRIE has been adopted by Cofidis, a professional bicycle team in France.

E X C E L L E N C E
A W A R D S
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66

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

67

Taichung City is one of the world's
premier areas for the precision
machinery industry, serving as home
to resin lens market leader Largan
Precision Company Ltd. and leading
bike maker Giant Manufacturing Co.
Ltd. Okuma Fishing Tackle Co. Ltd., areel manufacturer popular in the U.S., isalso based in the city. The company has
an abundant variety of machine tools,
which can manufacture everything for
cutting, pressing, and coating, excluding
electroplating.
Among fishing enthusiasts, however, it
is still strongly believed that the highest
grade reel brands are Japan’s Shimanoand Daiwa. To break this stereotype,Okuma Fishing Tackle created the MK10000/20000/30000 series of reels. The
bearings, which are the key componentsof the reels, are made by Germany’s
Schaeffler Technology AG & Co., known
for its INA brand by Schaeffler, a German
general parts manufacturer. This is anunusually high-end series reel that iscommercially available for nearly $800
US dollars. They are made of forgedaluminum and stainless parts, completely
waterproof, and capable of holding fish as
heavy as 500kg.
C.E.O. Charles Chang plans to apply
the technical strength proven by MK10000/20000/30000 and brand power
to making products for young people ataffordable prices.
"We will achieve sufficient performanceby separating the parts of the integral
molding and connecting them with screws,
while reducing manufacturing costs. In
addition, we will be able to develop a 5060 dollar product market. We expect sales
growth in developing countries, includingIndonesia and Brazil," he says.
When today’s young people become
seniors, or when developing countries
become more advanced, Okuma will bein a fixed position as a high-quality reelbrand.

L e i s u r e(MK-10000/20000/30000)&▶MAKAIRA SPINNING REEL

S p o r t s

High Quality and Inexpensive Reels
Fascinate Fishing Lovers Across theWorld

Okuma Fishing Tackle
Co., Ltd.
C.E.O.

Charles Chang

T A I W A N
E X C E L L E N C E

One of the reels of "MK-10000/20000/30000"
series: they weigh 991 to 1107g. They haveexcellent cost performance. There is a large
number of Okuma reel users in various
countries, including the U.S.

The reel has adopted a completely waterproof structure and uses forged stainless gears and carbon brake plates.

A W A R D S-

Okuma Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd.

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68

B r a n d s

Established as a fishing reels OEM in 1986 in Taichung, Okuma built a factory in Donnguan City, Guandong
Province in 1992. The company began manufacturing fishing rods in 1997 as is the exclusive provider to 60
companies in the world, with 1,200 specialty stores in China.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

69

S p o r t s

A Breakthrough Yoga Rod with a
Shiatsu Massage Effect Produced from
Recycled Materials&
L e i s u r e▶iRoller - DIY Assemble Foam Roller

A jacket warding off mosquitoes.

The yoga rod "iRoller," used forstretching and massage. It is
produced from recycled materials.

Sun Own IndustrialCo., Ltd.
General Manager

Nick ChangE X C E L L E N C E

The yoga rod has disks 5cm thick with
18 bumps each, which are skewered
together with a rod fixed to both ends.
Users, therefore, can rotate disks one
by one to enhance its shiatsu massage
effect.
Sun Own has also sold jackets
combating dengue fever, which hasreached epidemic levels in Taiwan
on various occasions, in cooperation
with a fiber manufacturer. A chemical
agent warding off mosquitoes carrying
the dengue fever virus is added to thecloth of the jacket. Even after the jacket
is washed 20 times, it maintains 80%
potency. The jacket has passed a toxicity
determination examination.
Sun Own continues to create
products that exist in harmony with theenvironment and make people’s lives
richer and more comfortable by utilizing
wisdom and innovative ideas, and we
can anticipate more such products in the
future.

T A I W A N

Sun Own Industrial Co., Ltd. is oneof the few chain stores selling outdoor
equipment in Taiwan. In addition to its
own brand "歐都納 (ATUNAS)," it carries
European and Japanese brands.
Its business is somewhat similar to thatof a manufacturer. It has a manufacturing
wing, and in 1981 developed unique
ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) resin that has
been applied to kickboards, surfboards,
shoes, and other products.
A product that has well leveraged thispart of the company’s business is theyoga rod "iRoller," used for stretching andmassage.
General Manager Nick Chang says,"When surfboards or other item are
made from different materials, leftovermaterials are always produced. Our
company, which contributes to outdoor
culture, did not want to discard them as
waste materials. Thus, we developed
a yoga rod by molding it from leftovermaterials."A W A R D S

Sun Own Industrial Co., Ltd.

-A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

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2 8

A major outdoor equipment sales company in Taiwan (the headquarters are located in Taichung City). Since it
was established in 1975, it has created products for marine sports including beach shoes, surfboards, and life
jackets, and since 1986 it has produced climbing gear. In 1990, it opened the "Atunas Holiday Country Resort."
It has around 70 store locations including booths in department stores.

71▶Recumbent stepper (MS350)

Dyaco International Inc.
Dyaco International was established in 1989 as an international trading company in Taiwan (theheadquarters is located in Taipei City). As it entered the 1990s, the business expanded steadily to become
the leader in industrial fitness equipment. In 2003, they merged with Spirit Fitness company in the US.
They manufacture and sell products including exercise bike and treadmills with sophisticated design andadvanced technology.

"MS350 Recumbent Stepper" (which
won a Taiwan Excellence Award in 2017)is a rehabilitation apparatus used to train
muscles and improve cardiopulmonary(heart and lungs) functions. Its major
feature is that it can be directly connected
to a wheelchair by removing the stepper
seat .
The parts used to squeeze the left andright arm and the left and right leg operate
independently. Exercise programs are
conducted based on the status of users'
arms and legs under the guidance ofexperts after the strength of the four limbs
are measured individually.
For example, for people whose lower
bodies are disabled, it is possible todesign in which prolonged exercise isassumed based on human engineering.
Dyaco International Inc., located in
Taipei City, designed and manufactured
the product’s main body by applying its
know-how.
Dyaco International Inc., founded in
1989, is a worldwide fitness equipment
manufacturer which manufactures andsells products in over 60 countries.
The company, which always seeks thedevelopment of new markets, recently
established its new healthcare business
unit.
Its advanced technical capabilities havebeen appraised, and the company has
also jointly developed health rehabilitation

exercise by just using the strength of botharms of the upper body, and for people
with paralysis in the left half of the body,
it is possible to exercise by just using thestrength of the right arm and leg.
The essential technologies of thisproduct come from leading-edge fitness
apparatuses, including a mechanism toadjust burdens in tune with users, and theequipment to prevent mild dementia witha Japanese company.
Business Development Division V.P.
Wendy Ko said, "I want to sell user
friendly healthcare equipment by making
use of techniques cultivated by fitness
equipment." We can expect to see Dyacotake bold leaps into different industries in
the future.

Dyaco International Inc.
Business Development
Division
V.P.

Wendy Ko

T A I W A N

A machine that measures themuscular strength of limbs. The
chair can be removed to connect
wheel chairs.

H e a l t h c a r e

New Rehabilitation Equipment
Produced by a Training Machine
Manufacturer

E X C E L L E N C E
A W A R D S
2 872

B r a n d s

Stepper SC200/XS110 which
won a Taiwan Excellence Awardin 2017.

The production line in DYACO’s Taipei factory. Products go through strict quality checks as they are assembled.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n73

H e a l t h c a r e

A Light, Durable, and Handy HighQuality Wheelchair▶Active Wheelchair (HW9)

An electric mobility scooter which automatically folds when the button is pressed (Taiwan Excellence Silver Award received in 2017).

Heartway Medical
Products Co., Ltd.
Marketing & Sales

Thomas Ho

E X C E L L E N C E

series is more expensive than others,
but the price is in line with Heartway’s
original concept of developing quality,
value-added wheelchairs.
They are produced as a high-end
product for the elderly, and thecompany’s strongest customer base isin European countries with good welfare
policies.
Wheelchairs that are customized tomatch the user’s body are expensive.
Compared to products around Europe,
which often cost 6,000 to 20,000
Euro, the wholesale price of HW series
products, not inferior in quality, areinexpensive by comparison, ranging
from 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.
Price competitiveness is one of thereasons why the HW series is so widely
accepted by the market.
In addition to wheelchairs, Heartway
also produces electric mobility scooters,
which play a central role among thecompany’s wide number of products.
The latest model "S21 Easy Move" isalso foldable, and when the button
is pressed, the seat and the handles
automatically bend to be made compact
in size.

T A I W A N

A high-end machine with a carbon frame
and wheels made of aluminum alloy.

"HW9" is the 9th and latest modelof Heartway’s HW series. It is a active
wheelchair characterized by its lightness
and durability, which is attributed toits carbon frame and wheels made ofaluminum alloy.
It is easy to carry it in a car, since its
backrest can be folded and the wheels
can be removed easily. The wheelchair’s
comfort, based on human engineering
for which the HW series is best known,
remains unchanged.
"Wheelchairs are a part of users' life,
so they must be more stylish, cooler,and more comfortable, as the basic
premise is that safety always comes
first," says Thomas Ho, Marketing &Sales Department.
All of Heartway’s products havepassed quality tests, including a heat
resistance test, a slope test, and a roughroad test, and meet safety standards
including the TUA and the FDA in theWest.
The products offer a strong sense ofstability and reliability that are the resultsof 20 years of experience in wheelchair
manufacturing .
Due to its high performance, the HW

A W A R D SHeartway Medical Products Co., Ltd.

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-

A manufacturer of wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters established in 1995 with the headquarters
in Taichung City. Originally, Heartway produced simple and inexpensive medical wheelchairs for the U.S.
and Germany. However, it felt its limitations in the price battle of products and has shifted its focus to highquality, value-added products for the past 10 years. With a background in medical products, Heartway has anadvanced quality inspection system and its products therefore offer high stability and reliability.

75▶Horus Scope Digital Eye-Fundus Camera(DEC200)

H e a l t h c a r e

A Portable Ophthalmic Digital Camera
Used in Mobile Medical Treatment
The ophthalmic camera "DEC 200"
can photograph retinal capillary bloodvessels of the eyeground, or the backof eyeballs, in combination with medical
equipment used for examinations ofdiseases such as glaucoma and arterialsclerosis. The device lets flashlights
shine into the eyes to capture the lightreflected from the retina.
Conventional ophthalmic cameras
were traditionally large, expensive,and stationary. In addition, they could
not reproduce images easily because
Polaroid film was used for imaging.
DEC 200, however, uses digitaltechnology and has a small enough form
factor to be portable. It can be used
for photographing of the eyegroundof patients who have difficulty ingetting out of bed or in non-medical
environments such as disaster sites.
Since it has 5 mega pixels and ashooting range of 45 degrees, thiscamera compares favorably with thelatest stationary cameras in terms of
performance. The price, however, is halfof that of stationary cameras.
Moreover, the most remarkable featureis the "fully automatic shooting mode"
which is very easy to operate. It lets
users capture the image just by pointing
the lens toward the patient's eyeballs
and pressing the button.
The camera transmits an infrared
ray that measures the distance to theeyeground and automatically focuses.

When this happens, there is an
instantaneous flash within 1 second,
and a photograph is taken of theeyeground.
Management and operation of images
is easy because they are saved as digital
data. For example, city-based medical
specialists can diagnose images
photographed in a country clinic via theInternet.
Medimaging Integrated Solutions Inc.,
responsible for the development of thecamera, is a company that develops
medical equipment and software. Future
projects include developing an AI to
diagnose eyeground images. DEC 200
is set to be a leader in next generation
IoT medical equipment.

POINT 1

Digital image
management
Slots for USB devices and SD
cards are located on the side of
the LCD display. Using an SD cardwith built-in Wi-Fi makes using thecamera even more convenient.

POINT 2

Simple and easy
operation

E X C E L L E N C E

With its miniature size and abody that weighs just 500 grams,
this camera is highly portable.
One-hand operation is possible bypressing the photo button.

A W A R D S

Medimaging Integrated Solution Inc. (MiiS)B r a n d s

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

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A medical equipment and software manufacturer established in 2010 with headquarters in Hsinchu City.
The company offers highly professional services such as ophthalmic cameras to observe the back of theeye, ear scopes to observe the back of the ear, stomatoscopes, endoscopes, and software and hardware
for remote medical systems, to more than 50 countries. Recently, the company has committed itself tocreating portable, digital, and IoT-capable medical equipment.

-

Different from conventional stationary models, this portable camera can assume different uses in various situations. For example, for patients who have difficulty standing, the camera can
photograph the eyeground even as the patients lie in bed. The camera can also be used in environments outside hospitals including emergency vehicles, disaster sites, and accident sites. In
addition, the camera has applications for education and training at universities as well as for eye tests when purchasing glasses.

T A I W A N

Equipped with an automatic
infrared focusing feature. Just
push the shoot button to operate.
Focus and brightness can only be
adjusted in manual mode.

77

H e a l t h c a r e

Doubly-Equipped, Cost Effective
Solution to Meet Needs of Special
Medical Services▶Smart Bedside Terminal (ONYX-1222)

The all-in-one personal computerfor medical institutions "Venus-191"
incorporates a battery.

The small desktop personal computer"MedPC-2100" for medical institutes
does not need a cooling fan.

The "UPower Lite-22" battery
charger can charge two batteries
having a capacity of 63Wh.

An all-in-one personal computer for medical institutions. It can be set at a point where it is easy to see the patient's bed.

2 8
B r a n d s

78

Bob Wang

A W A R D S

Established in 2010 after separation from AAEON, a brand dealing with personal computers incorporated
in industrial equipment and affiliated with major PC maker ASUS manufacturer (the headquarters is locatedin New Taipei City). Onyx develops personal computers specializing in the needs of medical organizations.
Sales of in-house brand products is almost equal to that of Onyx's designing, manufacturing, andcommissioning business. It achieved earnings growth by exporting to Western markets and conducted its
initial public offering (IPO) in December 2016.

Onyx Healthcare Inc.
CEOE X C E L L E N C E

Onyx Healthcare Inc.

resistance film? We can precisely
answer questions like this (the answer
is: mounting the resistance film TP).
This is the strong point of our company
specialized in the medical market."This machine has two wired LAN ports.
This also seems useless at a glance, butsome medical institutions separate the
network to feed a huge amount of video
data from the network dealing with data
centered on texts." The price went up,
but, we made this machine to correspondto these two networks while confirmingthat this correspondence wouldn't impair
our price competitiveness," said Wang.
Onyx Healthcare also contracts todesign and manufacture other brandproducts (EMS/ODM). When asked
whether the company can grow quickly
like Hon Hai if it is just engaged in suchbusiness, Wang replied, "We may doso, but if we only commit to EMS/ODM, we can't hear the demands
directly from medical organizations andcan’t accumulate know-how regarding
government certification of medical
equipment. To avoid these problems, wetake the risk of in-house brand business."

T A I W A N

The brightness is changeable. Whena nurse turns off the light or conducts
reports, he or she can conduct suchtasks without disturbing patients’ sleep.

ONYX-1222, a little bit like a small
television in appearance, is a personal
computer installed next to hospital beds.
It features a 11.6" display and can beused for nurse calls as well as exchangeof images for diagnosis. Users canoperate the device without disturbing
thanks to a lack of a cooling fan andtouch panel operation.
This machine incorporates two typesof touch panels (TP): a capacitance typeand a resistance film type. The former
type of panel is used for smartphones
and has a high accuracy of multi-touch(multiple contact input). The latter type
was popular before the capacitancetype of panels became known, andone-point touch is a required as aprerequisite condition. Double-equippingof TPs in this way is not useful for homeelectronics, but medical equipment has
different requirements. This is because
the medical staff is used to the resistancefilm type.
Bob Wang, the vice president of Onyx
Healthcare said, "Which is beneficial
to users, changing users' customs
or reducing the cost by removing theA m a z i n g Ta i w a n

79

H e a l t h c a r e▶iNAP One/Lite"iNAP One" received an EU
medical instrument certificate. It iscommercially available at a price of$1,500 US dollars. It is expected toreceive a U.S. certificate soon.

"iNAP Lite" received a Malaysian medical
instrument certificate. It can even be
operated via battery. It is commerciallyavailable at a price of $1,200 US dollars.

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A m a z i n g Ta i w a n-

80

sleep apnea (OSA) occurs.
The image below is when the airway issecured by sucking out the air inside themouth.
Although government certification isessential to sales and manufacturing of
this kind of medical equipment, Taiwan
lacks human resources with strong
knowledge of these certifications.
Somnics has overcome this problem
through the efforts of staff from contract
research organizations (CROs).
Somnics plans to mount a sensor todetect breathing on a next-generation
device which would creates a time during
which negative pressure is not generated.
In doing so, power consumption during
sleep is dramatically reduced. A battery
charge will become sufficient, completely
freeing patients from relying on powercords.

A W A R D S

A venture company from The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) headquarterd in Chupei City,
Somnics was established in 2010. The company’s current flagship product was nearly completed in 2014 after
the acquiring of funds from other organizations, including venture capital from the Sino Pac Group. The productwas certified in the EU in 2016 through verification tests (CE marking). Although there were not any sales yet atthat time, the company made an initial public offering (IPO) in May 2017. Somnics has 50 employees.

Chung-Chu ChenE X C E L L E N C E

Somnics, Inc.

achieve the opposite result. It sucks
out the air inside the mouth to separate
the tongue from the airway through"continuous negative airway pressure."
C.E.O. Chung-Chu Chen says, "The air
pump incorporating the negative pressuredevice made by Somnics is much smaller
than existing ones, because it must
control the air pressure in the narroworal cavity." Furthermore, the negative
pressure devices made by Somnics are
smaller than those launched by ApniCure
Inc. in 2016. It weigh just about 200g,
which is less than half the weight ofcompeting products like positive pressuredevices, which weigh 1-2kg. Theseadvantages were created by Taiwaneseengineers who have inserted themselvesin the consumer equipment industry
where lighter, more compact products
are. The image above is when obstructive

Somnics, Inc.
C.E.O.

T A I W A N

Good News for Patients with Sleep
Apnea – A Reduced-size Device thatSucks Air Out rather than Blowing Air In

There are estimated to be 13 million
patients with sleep apnea in the USA
alone. This disorder not only prevents
patients from sleeping comfortably, but
can also cause serious illness due tothe burden it imposes on the circulatoryorgans. Compared to people without
sleep disorders, patients with sleep apnea
syndrome are 2-3 times more likely tosuffer cardiac infarction and 4 times more
likely to suffer a cerebral stroke. The
most common cause of sleep apnea isthe obstruction of the airway due to the
tongue being drawn into the back of thethroat.
The application of “continuous positive
airway pressure” is a common form oftreatment. The airway is extended bycontinuously sending pressurized air
through the patient's nostrils. Somnics,
however, developed an instrument to

The image above is when obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
occurs. The image below is when the airway is secured bysucking out the air inside the mouth.

H e a l t h c a r e

A Big Hit in Asia! A Walking Stick witha Built-in Chair for the Elderly

Equipped with a one-touch lock function; unlocking it with two fingers could cause damage.

▶Ta-Da Chair
Step2Gold Co., LTD.
President & Design
Director

Boris Pao

Use it when you’re on the go,such as waiting for the bus or
standing in line at the store.

2 8
B r a n d s

83-

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

A W A R D S

82

E X C E L L E N C E

Headquartered in Taichung City, Step2Gold is a health and nursing care productventure company that began operations in 2013 after becoming independent from a
20 year old Taiwan-based manufacturer of furniture for the U.S. The "Ta-Da Chair",which started selling in 2016, is their main product, and has become a big hit since
being introduced on Japanese TV programs including NHK and TBS.

furniture has been very useful to him interms of developing safer products.
In pursuit of quality equal to or greaterthan that of furniture for Europe and theUnited States, Pao aimed to first clear
several criteria, such as the European
outdoor product safety standards "EN
581-1“ and "EN 581-2."
The carefully selected materials of thechair are strong, lightweight aluminumalloy and plastic, which does not bend
even if left outdoors for 2 or 3 years. A
brace has been attached to reinforce
fragile parts, and rubber was chosen for

T A I W A N

Step2Gold Co., LTD.

The word "Ta-Da" in "Ta-Da Chair" is an
onomatopoeia often used by magiciansin Europe and the US. This “magical”
product is generally used as a walking
stick but can be turned into a chair with
one touch when your legs get tired.
Boris Pao, a developer and the president& design director of a sales company,
decided to produce "Ta-Da Chair" for his
65-year old mother with weak legs.
This was not the first time Pao had
created a chair – he had previously
worked for a company that sold furniture
to the U.S. The knowledge gained making

the tip attachment because it does not
slip easily.
The product has been designed so that,even if it should break, it would breaksafely.
As a result, the finished product is a
sturdy chair that almost never warps,
even after fatigue test when 80kg offorce is applied vertically to the seat over
200,000 times.
"To be able to meet the world classsafety standard, I tried to satisfy theworld's highest safety tests used inEurope and the U.S. By doing this, I wasable to create a product that meets thesafety standards of various countries,"
said Pao with a smile.
The project is currently only exported
to Japan, but its distribution channel will
expand globally in the near future.

H e a l t h c a r e

A Massage Chair Aimed at Health Care
Using IoT
▶iFancy2 MASSAGE CHAIR

POINT 1

Detects your body
automatically
The sensor measures your heightand build, and automaticallydetermines the massage
positions most suitable to you.

Tokuyo makes space-saving
and affordable foot Massagers
for single people. Massagers forthe shoulders, head, and hands
are also popular.

POINT 2

Zero gravity
Reclining lets you enjoy yourmassage in a comfortable,
gravity-defying position.

POINT 3

Heating system
Heaters are equipped on both theback and leg portions and canwarm the whole body.

Tokuyo Biotech Co., Ltd.
President

Fred NienA W A R D S

Tokuyo Japan Co., Ltd.
C.E.O.

ANGUS

2 8
B r a n d s

84"I want our massage chairs to be
used as home health stations. They
will measure users' health status every
day and send the data to a hospital.
People on business trips can know
their parents' health conditions. We areaiming to create such infrastructural
health equipment," says Fred.
The company has aggressively expanded
its business to Japan, establishing its
Japan Business Department in April
2017.
To advance into the Japanesemarket, it has introduced compact andreasonably priced products so that they
can be within the reach of young people.
Massage chairs, one size smaller
than conventional ones and costing
approximately NT$27,670 are targeted
for single people. Massage chairs for
specific body parts including the lower
body and legs, are lower priced.
Angus from Tokuyo's Japan
Development Department says, "Whenselling this product, I make a joke that,
if you are going to give your fiancée apresent, our massage chairs are lessexpensive than a luxury handbag."

E X C E L L E N C E

Established in 2001 in Taoyuan City, Tokuyo manufactures and distributes massage chairs. It started
business as an OEM for SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. in Taiwan. After SANYO fell into a management crisis,
it launched the in-house brand "tokuyo" and has continued manufacturing high quality massage chairs,
which it distributes to over 30 countries.

"iFancy2" made by Tokuyo is the latest
massage chair manufactured based on
the concept of the combining IoT and
health.
Its artificial intelligence determines the
optimal massage course for the user
via several sensors and a heartbeat
monitor. The data obtained is savedon the cloud– the company has plans
to use it for individual health care incooperation with medical organizations.
"Thinking 30 or 40 years from now, wemust create both inexpensive, affordable
products along with expensive, highend products," says Tokuyo President
Fred Nien. "That's how I thought tocreate products with new value by
incorporating healthcare and IoT into
existing massage chairs."
Healthcare and IT were unknown fields
to Tokuyo, making product development
a big challenge. So the company
brought system engineers into its
development team, conducted clinical
trials in the medical department of
National Taiwan University, and finisheda new type of massage chair four years
later.

Assembly work under strict quality control.

T A I W A N

Tokuyo Biotech Co., Ltd.

You can learn about Tokuyo's history at the entrance to thecompany’s office.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

85

Taiwan Economic Data

What is the main industry in each region?

Taiwan brands are gradually increasing their presence throughout the world. This is supported by the below economic
information, including main industries leading the Taiwan economy, industrial distribution based on areas, and businesses
targeting the younger generation.

It is important to make use of geological advantages for industrial development. Tainan in particular has
high expectations as an industrial promotion area to support various Taiwan industries. The government
is considering policies to develop the green energy industry in Tainan.

TAIPEI
Machine Tool Industry
Taiwan is one of the top4
exporting countries for machine
tools.

What is Taiwan’s current economic status?

Five major industries leading the Taiwan economy

The GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2017 was 2.60%, andthe annual growth rate is estimated to be 2.04%. Compared to
1.50% in 2016, positive growth is expected.

Five major industries that are fundamental for economic
development are the Asian Silicon Valley, green energy,
biotechnological medical treatment, Smart Machinery, and national
defense. Biopharmaceuticals are receiving a particularly large
amount of attention.

* According to a report issued in July 2017

2.04%

Economic
Growth Rate

Green Energy(Tainan, Kaohsiung)
Asian Silicon Valley(Taoyuan)

PPPGDP(Gross domestic product)

US $47,800
Taiwan is ranked 30th

US $529 billion
Taiwan is ranked 22ndSports & Leisure Goods
Industry
Taiwan’s sporting goods sector
exports US $685.7 million annually.

TAINAN

Biotech &Pharmaceutical(Taipei, Hsinchu,
Taichung,Tainan)

KAOHSIUNG

Orchid Industry
Perfect growing environment,
combined with advancements inbreeding.

Biomedicine
Innovative medical devices andnew marketing models that drive
the formation of a complete
product and service ecosystem.

Green Energy Industry
Development of a complete
photovoltaic industrial cluster thatencompasses the up, mid, anddownstream segments of the
supply chain.

Automobile Parts andAccessories Industry
The auto parts industry has thecapability of providing original
equipment (OE) and after market(AM) service to global supply chain.
A comprehensive, highly efficient
subcontractor network makes up
a central-to-satellite plant system
within which individual parts manufacturers specialize in specific areas.

ICT Industry
These clusters have helped makeTaiwan the “go-to” location for
procurement and design.

GDP
Per Capita
US $22,530

Total Imports Value

Total Exports Value

US $230 billion
Taiwan is ranked 18th

US $280 billion
Taiwan is ranked 16th

◆Other main industries

TAICHUNG◆ Five major industries leading the Taiwan economy(2017 estimated)(Purchasing Power Parity)

HSINCHU

Bicycle Industry
The A-Team (a team comprisedof 20 bike and parts companies)
has created high quality andinnovative new products.

Smart Machinery(Taichung)

National Defense(Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung)

Yachts Industry
The success of Taiwan's yachts
rests on three main points:
high building skills, superior
craftsmanship and customized
solutions. Combined with thegeographical advantage ofKaohsiung City.

Fastener Industry
Production accounts for 30% of
all fasteners internationally and isexported to over 140 countries.

Taiwan is active in the manufacturing of bicycles and of golf club heads. The electronics industry, inparticular, has matured to the extent of having a big effect on the global economy.
Must know industrial keywords"Industry 4.0"

BicyclesIC Foundry

YachtsTextileOwns the highest market share in
Germany, Nederland and UK

Taiwan's IC Foundryis the world's largest

The world's 4th largest and Asia's
biggest yacht maker in 2016

Functional Textiles
hold a 70% market share worldwide

70%
Asia

73%
4

Sports and Leisure

Healthcare

80% of world's golf club heads areproduced by Taiwanese companies

34.5% of world's electric wheelchairor electric scooter are produced by
Taiwanese companies

80%
34.5%

Transportation
Solutions

Computers, Communication Equipment
and Consumer Electronics
TextilesAI is possible! Intelligent robots
Artificial intelligenceenabled robots capable of adegree of independent decision making. They
are expected to take an active part in future
factories through operations such as detecting
mechanical abnormalities and operating issues.

MechanicalEquipment

IOT

BIG
DATA

Food

Agriculture

Pharmaceuticals
and Healthcare

INTELLIGENTROBOT

Big data of collection, accumulation, and analysis

173million

US

86

A system which will make it possible for"things" incapable of human speech toexchange information and control eachother through the Internet.
Orchids

Advanced breeding methods
are continued innovation has
increased the export amountof Taiwan's moth orchids up to
US 173 million in 2016

▶Points to understand "Industry 4.0"
Internet of Things "IoT"

1

The term "Industry 4.0", which refers to new innovations in the manufacturing industry, was coined in Germany. Its othername is "the 4th Industrial Revolution". Industrial development projects focusing on the next generation are coming under the
spotlight around the world. Learn what fields are most important below.

Big and complex pieces of data are collected
and accumulated, and then analyzed to findsolutions to economic problems and to add
value to existing systems.

Metal
Processing

Logistics

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n87Six Future Businesses

Smart home and smart appliances

Many innovative technologies and products have been born in Taiwan, in part thanks to clear, long-term businessstrategies. Here, industries central to Taiwan's growth over the past three decades will be introduced.

1

Smart city

■ More convenient urban infrastructure thanks to a 5G line connection

Traffic

Demonstrating its full ability as an
IoT / ICT supply chain

Traffic status andparking lot occupancy
status are provided

How can urban infrastructure be operated
efficiently as global population growth andconcentration accelerate? Smart cities are
anticipated as a solution to these global
issues.
For urban smartification, various city
infrastructures are linked with next-generationhigh speed communication systems / 5G
networks. Vital IoT / ICT technologicaldevelopments, including sensor technology
and wired / wireless networks, are among
Taiwan's strongest areas, and theirdevelopment is advancing steadily.

Electric powerHomeelectronics

Consumption depends on
the quantity of renewableenergy generation

Remote management
and electricity
charges notifications

5G
Tens of thousands of users are connected
at 1 - 10Gbps. City life is made more
efficient due to data shared at eachterminal including roads, offices, andhouses.

Medical costs
Information on apatient’s medical
history, prescriptions,and visiting records
are shared

Weather
Notifications for
rainfall, smog, andPM 2.5

Healthcare is one of the leading examples of a platform withincredible potential for development of personal services via IoT.
Terminal dealers in Taiwan are advancing research anddevelopment of IoT gateways and peripheral sensor items. They are
already affiliated with website service platform vendors like IFTTT
and Zaiper.

■ Home Health Care Network utilizing IoT

Cloud computing

Deep learning
via AI

Smartphone
Bathroom scales
Thermometer

Data linkage

3.

Supports the electricity usage plan, and responds with proper timing after receiving thenotification of a phenomenon

4.

Automatically adjusts to urgent demands for electricity usage, and prepares for limitations
and power blackouts

5.

Is associated with renewable energy, and optimizes the timing to shift electricity utilization
to renewable energy

6. Provides users with electric charge information based on time periods
7.

Engages with smart home appliances, creates data around energy consumption ofindividual consumers and realizes the most effective electrical usage based on that data

Wind power generation and offshore wind
power generation project

Data analysis
Big data

Whenever one discusses about futurebusinesses, it is impossible to avoid
renewable energy. Taiwan has a perfectstructure for wind power generation, basedon technical consultants, construction
contracts, and the development, operationand maintenance of power stations. As for

Data transmission

Personal diagnostic
service by medical
institutions

offshore wind power generation stations,collaborative development with Westerncompanies is ongoing. In addition, a newwind power generation project has alreadybegun in the Taiwan Strait. Components
along with wind power generation systemmanufacturers continue to develop theirbusiness domestically andoverseas and are expected toincrease their market
penetration.

■ A 4-year wind power generation promotion plan is being considered by Ministry of
Economic Affairs of the Republic of China
Year 2017

Year 2020

Year 2025

Accumulated
installed capacity

Accumulated
installed capacity

Accumulated
installed capacity

gigawatts

gigawatts

gigawatts

0.6

Data linkage

Massage chair

2. Possible to shift power demand and load at a peak time

Two factors that increase offshore wind power generation facilities andcultivate overseas market development

IoT-enabled healthcare equipment

A personal healthdevice2

1. Improves the management ability of power usage at peak time to save electricity

OfficeInformation shared
remotely with theteam

If IoT-enabled individual health management terminals (personal
health devices) such as smartphones are used within the smart city
environment, medical institutions will be able to provide individuals
with the most optimal treatment plans (see the following figures).
Mobile health, home care, and remote care will be realized, anddisease diagnosis and care of patients will reach a new level.

Inside houses in the smart city, home
appliances are connected to the Internet.
Conventional white goods are internally controlled
by microcomputers and standalone applications,but from now, they will be linked externally, while"control" and "communication" are moving on to
integration.
Manufacturers are addressing the technologicaldevelopment of ICT systems at a rapid pace. They
have three strategies at the present moment. The
first is the development of special chips andsensors. The second is the construction of energyserving control systems and making open
platforms. The third is the linkage of applicationinterfaces of home appliances among
manufacturers.
Tong Yuan Electric & Machinery Co. Ltd.
(TECO), a major Taiwanese appliances
manufacturer, has already released smart home
appliances which can be connected to a cloud.
Interfaces among facilities will soon be able to beconnected by incorporating USB hubs into home
appliances and gateways.

■ Seven definitions for smart home appliances

The production output of the
Taiwanese wind power generationindustry in 2015 was nearly 430
million US dollars (up 14.4% fromthe year before). Since then, it hascontinued to expand satisfactorily
and shows stable growth both
domestically and overseas.

1.3
The construction of 3 offshore wind
power generation model districts
will begin in 2018. In addition, theproduction output of the wind
power generation industry in
Taiwan in 2019 is expected toreach 86 million US dollars.

4.2

The advancement of offshore
wind power generation
requires the development of
more corrosive-resistantcomponents, larger units,
and stronger blades. How to
overcome fierce competition
and the associated risks is achallenge.

The development of smart meter
communication systems (AMI)The AMI is intended to identify precise
electric demands by measuring electric
consumption data automatically and sending
them to power companies. The development
and spread of AMIs is essential for effective
clean energy implementation.

Feedback

88

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n89Six Future Businesses

3■ Examples of micro LED products and image quality
micro LED size (μm)

Micro LED

Micro LED size（μm）

Next generation display materials
whose R&D meets global
standards

5

Smart motors

High-definition digital signage■ IoT promotion of motors▶Conventional motors

・Mature industry
・Stable productivity
・Innovative power is weak

Revitalization of the mature motor
industry through the introductionof IoT

Head-up display

100

A technology key to carrying the LED industry
into the future is the micro LED. This dreammaterial boasts higher brightness (luminance)
despite lower electricity consumption and ismore resilient than its predecessors.
Because of these features, it is believed thatmicro LED will be the material for the next
generation of displays, taking the place oforganic EL displays or liquid crystal displays.
There are currently two electronics andphotoelectric system research institutes acting
as micro LED research teams in Taiwan,
PlayNitride and the Industrial Technology
Research Institute (ITRI). Development has
progressed very far and a yield rate reaching
99% has been achieved when a micro LED is
mounted to a panel.

Smart bracelet
Smart watch

50

Smart glasses

5

10

100

Source: ITRI

4

■ Image of solar photovoltaics by PERC
▶Conventional cells

Solar
light

Solar
light

■ Usage examples of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)

90

400

Pixel pitch(the distance between
the LEDs with the samecolor in neighboring
pixels,μm）

Solar power▶PERC

The power generation
efficiency increases byusing reflected light

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
is a highly anticipated trend. Such structures
include photovoltaic power generation
modules, which serve as parts of the building
as well as provide the functions of power
generation, insulation, and daylighting. The
technology is expected to bring greater
demands including the adoption of solar
batteries instead of glass on an all
glass-covered building and the use of solar
batteries for windows of individual houses.

200

Glass windows of houses

Glass wall surfaces of office buildings

Increasing power generation
efficiency through technologicaldevelopment of passivated emitterrear contact cells (PERC)World demand for solar power generation has
been coming back since 2014, and its potential has
been attracting attention in both developed andemerging markets. In response to this situation,
Taiwan has been highly active in the work of improving
the efficiency of power generation in passivatedemitter rear contact cells (PERC).
The main feature of PERC is that the light
penetrates without generating electrons and isreflected on the back of the cell. The reflected light
generates an electrical current once again, increasing
the efficiency of power generation (left image).
Investment costs are even lower than that ofconventional solar cell panels, meaning PERC can kill
two birds with one stone.
Major companies engaged the development of thistechnology in Taiwan are Gintech, Sino-American
Silicon Products (SAS), and Solartech. Improving theconversion efficiency of solar power should revitalize
the industry, with the benefits spreading to related
businesses as well. For example, peripheral
components for solar power cells and solar tracking
systems would bask in this success, leading to further
support for the next industry.

Motors are a core component to the“smartification” of factories. Moreover, theirincreased efficiency and smartification are key
to the growth of the motor industry.
The smartification of motor systems
reduces equipment failure rates, and in
addition to improving production efficiency, amerit of the introduction of wirelesscommunication is the reduction of space used
for cables.
An example of this would be the systemdeveloped by TECO, the leader of Taiwan’s
motor industry. The system links motors withsmartphones, meaning that the operation
status can be monitored through an app. It
was well-received at an exhibition in Japan forenabling improved efficiency and reduced
energy consumption.
The market outlook is also bright.
According to research conducted by Markets& Markets on three major smart motor key
component markets, the size of the global
smart motor market in 2015 was US $1.02
billion. It is expected to grow to US $1.38
billion by 2020.

Development and application of
inverter control motors
Inverter control motor systems have been
attracting attention globally for their highefficiency.
An inverter is a device that changes voltage
and frequency. By attaching it to a motor, it ispossible to raise or lower rotation speed.
Lowering rotation speed with an inverter attimes when high output is unnecessary meansthat energy efficiency increases.
Energy saving by inverter motors is highly
anticipated in machines with high energy
consumption such as pumps, fans, and air
compressors. The high demand for thesemachines is predicted to remain unchanged in
the future (right image).
Taiwan is advancing its minimum energy
performance standards to meet the increasing
demand for inverter control motors.

・Activation of mature industries
due to smartification
・Energy conservation / promotionof efficiency
・Development in anticipation of
the expansion of the smart
motor market size
・Development / production by
Taiwan before the rest of the
world

IoT
promotion▶Smart motors

IC
chips

■ Sales forecast of Taiwanese industrial motors…Other application…Transport planes…Industrial machinery…Air compressors…Fans…Pumps…Machine tools
Source: ITRI

100％

80％

60％

40％

20％

0％

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n91Six hot next-generation businesses■ AR drive assist system

Smart automobile-related products

For the driver assist system using augmented reality (AR), the distance between cars andwarnings appear on the front glass and the head mount display. Many companies areactively developing AR head mount displays.

c o l u m n

6

The trend of precise machineindustry and market opportunities

The introduction of IoT for related products in response to the trend of smart automobiles
A wave of smartification has hit the
automobile industry, and major
manufacturers are making tremendous
efforts in the development of next generation
automobiles. What’s more, countries acrossthe world are actively developing policies
and regulations in relation to car electronics.
In particular, mandatory equipment andproduction development of the following

items in a wide variety of fields are being
promoted: in-vehicle ICT equipment such as
dashboard cameras to record travellinginformation, digital event data recorders torecord accident data, eCALL toautomatically report an emergency when an
accident happens, and tire pressure
monitoring systems.
The number of parts general required for

The research and development of
cutting-edge machine toolsa single next-generation automobile isexpected to be reduced dramatically due toa simplified structure made possible by the
motorization of automobile parts.
At the same time, new electronic
components, including a large number of
sensors and image recognition systems, arebeing incorporated into automobiles,
creating various services and platforms.
Travelling information appears on the front glass and a head mount display.

■ Smart tire gauges■ The superiority of the Taiwanese electronic automobile parts industry

Correct air pressure is identified by the tirepressure monitoring system. A display in the car.

It is no exaggeration to say that smartification of automobiles and motorization go handin hand Taiwan has superiority over the supply chains of electronic vehicle parts, boasting
the ability manufacture a wide variety of parts and in small quantities. A value chain fromproduction to operation is set to be built, providing a supply of finished products andcomponents including electric buses and motorcycles, and charging facilities are underconstruction.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute(ITRI), an organization of research and developmentof industrial technology, and directly controlled by
Ministry of Economic Affairs R.O.C. is committed tothe speeding up, development, and refinement of
new technologies. At the same time, it is developing
important components, including multiple-shaft
equipment and direct drive motors. In addition, ITRI
has a policy to increase industry-widecompetitiveness by enhancing the research anddevelopment of smartification software and systemtechnology, and by developing advanced machine
tools. It is also absorbed in the development ofspecial facilities due to tie-ups with other types ofbusiness, and it will advance into the facilities
manufacturing market for emerging industries,
including wind power generators, solar power
generators, and electric vehicles.

Smart robotics supporting robot
industry
Parts

Tire pressure monitoring systems withslenderized tires improve safety and fuelconsumption. Tire pressure sensors manufactured
by Taiwanese companies correspond to over 500
types of automobiles, and those brands haveforged ahead into the North American market.

Battery /charge stands■ Interior displays■ Smart drive recorders

With smart automobiles, interior equipment is also changed. A multitude of new
displays, including organic EL touch panels, curved surface models, and naked-eye
3D models, are being developed and installed everywhere from the backside of thefront seat to the ceiling.

Images of accidents are uploaded onto the cloud in real time. As soon as anaccident vehicle is found, the recorder alerts the driver. In addition, it is possible toshare information with the surrounding area through communications between
automobiles.

Supply chains and value chains are connected,
resulting in the development of complete
electric automobile industry

Electric motorcycles

Electric
automobiles

Electric buses

Micro / nano technology■ The future to come with the spread of smart cars
It is thought that smart cars, which represent the next generation of automobiles, will
make our life more convenient. In the not-so-distant future, automobiles that don’t require
drivers to hold the steering wheel may be seen on the roads.

Organic EL touch panels and curved surface displays are installed everywhere in the car.

Smart robots, which have integrated softwareand hardware, self-directive decision-making, andthe ability to directly communicate with people, will
be brought into reality and come to be valued inindustries and markets around the world.
Taiwanese manufacturers are focusing on users'
needs, the technological framework for deeplearning, the integration of disparate systems, andthe design of an interactive interface. The day willsoon come when smart robots with human-likeinstincts and smoothness will be introduced into
workplaces (such as hospitals and the service
sector).

Light and durable raisingmaterials are partially used,
and the assembly process
is simplified.

Smart drive recorders are associated with communication between vehicles, withvarious types of information being shared.

92

Fully automatic driving is
put to practical use, turning
travel time into leisure time.

As more people use smart
taxis and shared cars,
travelling time will change tofree time spent in leisure after
complete autonomous driving
is put into practical use.

Examples of the development of production
technology mainly dealing with micron / nanostructures by ITRI include molding of micron / nanostructures, role-to-roll technology, processes andfacilities of precision coating and vacuum /atmospheric plasma, and others. These
technologies are being used to develop products
for the optical electric industry, including color filters
for integrated optical thin films / fine structures,transparent conducting layers / antireflection films,
and the film processing technology using clean
technology which is applied to industries such as
optical electronics, clean energy, communication,and medical treatment.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

5G

93EXCELLENCE INTERVIEW

1P ro f i l e

Shinji Kondo

After graduating from the Faculty of Economics, Kobe University in 1979, he joined the Mainichi Newspaper company.
He held positions such as Hong Kong chief correspondent, Taipei chief correspondent, and manager of the Economics
Department of Osaka Headquarters. He has worked as a professor at OtemonGakuin University since 2014. He has written
numerous books including "Kosaku-suru Taiwan Ninshiki -- Miekakure-suru 'Kokka' to 'Hitobito'” (“Blending Recognition of
Taiwan -- Glimpses of the 'Nation' and 'Citizens' Coming and Going”); joint authorship, Bensei Publishing Inc.

"Pay attention to five fields including biomedical. Japan and Taiwan aregood partners that complement each other".
Taiwan, which has developed into a world-leading IT country, is at a turning point. The interviewer asked Kondo what fields will befocused on from now, and what is attractive about gaining entry into Taiwan.

Q

How is the economic state of
Taiwan?

The real GDP growth rate in Taiwan was
1.5% in 2016 and is expected to be 2.04%
in 2017. What is driving the Taiwanese
economy is an increase in IT-relatedcompanies. Although IT manufacturers in
Taiwan are mainly focused on electronic
manufacturing services (EMS), quantities
of products including laptop personal
computers stand at over 80% of those in theworld. EMSs are contracted manufacturers
but they deal with design and are large
in scale. The sales of Hon Hai Precision
Industry Co., Ltd., which manufactures
iPhones distributed by Apple Inc. in the
U.S., are much higher than those of major
electronic manufacturers in Japan.

Q

How is Taiwan developing in
Asia?

A lot of IT manufacturers in Taiwan haveplants in China and have manufactured
products by trading electronic parts withJapan and South Korea. The IT industry
that has supported the Taiwanese economy,
however, is at a turning point.
Liquid crystal panels have been produced
mainly in Taiwan and South Korea, but
the amount of production by Chinese
manufacturers is expected to exceed thatof Taiwan and South Korea within a few
years, because Chinese manufacturers haveconstructed large factories in their country.
EMSs, which are a strong point of Taiwan,
have low profitability, so they have improvedon this model by making use of cheaperlabor costs of China, but it is getting harder
to do so. The Taiwanese government is goingto make the transition from relaying on
Chinese labor.

94

Q

What fields is the government
focused on?

Tsai Ing-Wen's government, which got started
last year, mapped out the "New Southbound
Policy" to focus on investments in countries
from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) and India. Their industrial mainstays
are the following fields: natural energy, smart
machinery, Internet of Things (IoT), biomedical,
and the national defense industry. Biomedical isespecially important. Taiwanese researchers, whowent to Western countries to study abroad andwere active in local pharmaceutical companies,
returned to Taiwan and have participated in
drug-discovery ventures. The commercializationof anticancer drugs and AIDS virus drugs is
progressing.

Q

How will Japanese-affiliatedcompanies in Taiwan change?

Not only the manufacturing industry
but also the retail trade and the restaurant
industry have expanded their businesses
in Taiwan on an astonishing scale. Mitsui
Fudosan Co., Ltd. opened an outlet mallcomprised of Japanese brands and restaurants
in New Taipei City in January 2016. In 2020,a second mall will be opened in TaichungCity. Taiwanese people are pro-Japanese andhave a good response to Japanese brands.
Moves to China, after the establishment of a
joint venture between Japanese and Taiwanesecompanies, have accelerated. After such aventure tries Japanese products in Taiwan, it
brings this knowhow into China. Japanesecompanies have technologies, brand power, andstrong funding, while Taiwanese companies areadvantageous in their language and customs.
It can be said that they are good partners
who complement each other.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n95

EE XX CC EELLL LE EN NC EC EI N ITNE TR EV IREVWI E W

2P ro f i l e

Mikio Numata

The representative of Taipei Office, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. Although Numata is the head of the overseas contact
organization, he has a unique background of having entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the non-career (non-firstclass) test. The leader of the New York consulate in 2007, the Director-General, Consular Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Japan in 2011, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Myanmar in 2012, and incumbent since 2014.

"The relationship between Japan and Taiwan is the best ever so far.
Taiwan is vital to Japan's future."
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association plays a role similar to an embassy in Taiwan which has no formal diplomatic relations withJapan. Mr. Numata, the representative of the Taipei Office, talked about the current relationship between Japan and Taiwan.

Q

How is the relationshipbetween Japan and Taiwan atpresent?

I view the relationship as being thebest ever so far. I think that the turning
point which led to this was the changes
in Japan triggered by the Great East
Japan Earthquake. In 2011, the Japanese
government did not include Taiwan as one of
the wreath-laying countries at the memorial
ceremony to mark the Great East Japan
Earthquake, because of historical reasons.
Japanese people, who had dear affection
for Taiwan due to a lot of public donations
from Taiwanese people, raised their voices in
opposition. Then, Japan's prime minister at
the time apologized at the Diet, and Taiwan
was designated as a wreath-laying country in
2013.
The connection between Japan andTaiwan seems to have become stronger
through that change. In 2016, 6.06 million
people of the two countries visited eachother's country (1.89 million people fromJapan and 4.17 million people from Taiwan).
The number of Taiwan travelers visiting
regions throughout Japan is increasing.

Q

What do you think is an exclusive
attraction of Taiwan which othercountries do not have?

Although there are factors, including theatmosphere of cluttered but teeming streets,
industries and gourmet not invariant toadvanced regions in Japan and the West, I
think that the people factor is still significant.
Taiwanese people have customs that Japanesepeople should respect. They quickly offer theirseats to people who need it, and they approachthings in an open manner. No country is likely
to accept Japanese culture as much as Taiwan
does.

96

Q

What do you think of products
made in Taiwan?

As is clear from products manufactured
by ASUS, Acer and bicycle manufacturer
GIANT, Taiwanese products are precise
and strong. The scale of the economics in
Taiwan is not small in any way. It's nominal
GDP ranks 22nd among 190 countries andregions. In the field of personal computersand smartphones, Taiwan is top-class. Thisis probably because they are products that
Taiwanese people make quick decisions about.
I think that Taiwan will stay at the forefront
even in the IoT era when those technologies
are transferred.

Q

What do you think of the
management style of
Taiwanese companies?

There are still a few long-runningcompanies. On the contrary, there are a lotof Japanese companies which have survived
for over 100 years while changing the mainline of their business. Japanese people areslow-decision makers,but after they decide to
do something, they make a united effort toaccomplish it quickly. This trait must havemade those companies survive.
Founders of many Taiwanese companies,
including the above-mentioned GIANT,
are nearing retirement. After retiring, theirleadership abilities must be compensatedby the employees' cohesiveness. When that
happen, long-running companies in Japanand Japanese traits should be useful for
Taiwanese companies and help to develop
mutually beneficial relationships.
Three years since I relocated here, I feelagain that it is essential to continue joining
together with Taiwanese people for the futureof Japan.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

97

RENOVATION

GOODS

TEA

P.100

P.102

P.104

[ Pa r t3 ]An Enjoyable Place to do Business.

The Latest Guide to Taiwan
Taiwan has a lot of attractive spots, including gourmet restaurants,
street stalls, and massage clinics.
When visiting Taiwan for business, make sure to make some rewarding
time for yourself when you have a break from work. Hip, newly
renovated cultural spots and MIT (made-in-Taiwan) products storesare gathering momentum these days, and stylish cafes are perfect for
taking a rest. Your business trip will surely be far more pleasant if you
take time to see a new and different side of Taiwan.

98

P.106

P.108

CAFE

HOTEL

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

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P a r t 3 ▶An Enjoyable Place to do Business. The Latest Guide to Taiwan

RENOVATION

Feel that Taiwanese is "In Season"
at Hip Urban Renewal Spots
Urban renewal spots where old buildings are revived into modern ones areseen more and more in Taiwan. Following Huashan 1914 Cultural and Creative
Park and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (see P. 19) are new waves ofrenovation, including the traditional wholesale district at Dihua Street. These
places, which represent a blend of traditional and modern Taiwan, include
retro and modern cafes, art spaces, and shops.

Taipei Artist
Village-Treasure Hill
An art village where artists from Taiwan andoverseas live while working on creations andexhibitions. Modern art works are displayed
along narrow slopes connecting a retro
concrete house like a maze. There are ateliers
and studios where you can visit, and cafes
where you can take a rest.
No.2, Alley 14, Lane 230, Section 3, Tingzhou

General goods shop

Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City

Twine

Modern facilities housing1

historic cafes and shops

02-2364-5313
holiday:Monday

A general fair trade goods

11:00am-10:00pm / Business15 minutes walk from Exit

An artist village where you can see

1 of MRT Gongguan Station

shop. Products are designed

the latest culture and art

http://www.artistvillage.org/index.php

in Taiwan and produced in
Cambodia, India, and Africa.

1

2

3

5

Feel the warmth of uniquehandmade goods.

02-2557-8690
10:00am-6:00pm /No business holidays
3
1.The artist village is located on the south side of a low hill.
The area was originally a village illegally occupied by exmilitary soldiers in the latter half of the 1940’s. 2.A Taiwanese
black bear drawn on the wall of a house. 3.The shade net isalso artistic. 4.A unique object representing a fortune cookie.
5.Illustrations and a map can be found at the entrance.
4

1.A broach with awarm feeling usingwood and recycledwool which comesin a wide variety ofcolor combinations.
2.European clothes
and bags in addition
to general goods areavailable. 3.Copper
seals using cedar. The
product’s many motifs
include umbrellas,
flowers, and elephants.

2

1

A nostalgic and modern atmosphere including window frames and illuminations.
At Salt Peanuts Cafe, you can enjoy meals sitting on a terrace seat in the courtyard.

2

Yue Yue Bookstore
Cafe

Art Yard

Salt Peanuts Café
A cafe where you can

A former mansion of a local tycoon built in 1920.
It has a traditional town house-styled gate,
which is small at the entrance, long, and narrow.
It is a composite space housing a membershiphotel, bistros, and shops, with a relaxed retro
atmosphere. You are most likely to forget thetime and stay for a while.
No.195-199, Section 1, Dihua Street, Datong
District, Taipei City
Depending on stores

10 minutes walk from Exit 1 of MRT Daqiaotou

A book cafe at Songshan Cultural and Creative
1

2

Park (see P. 19). The building, originally a3enjoy handmade sweets

Artistic books and cafe tables are arranged.

and light meals. Special

Spend quiet time while reading a book.

ingredients, including fairSongshan Cultural and Creative Park, No.133,

trade coffee and natural

Guangfu South Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

ice cream, are on the
menu.

3

02-2557-8679
10:15am-6:00pm /No business holidays
1.Sweets such as the Nuts & Banana Cheese Tart (NT$ 160) areexquisite. Cinnamon rolls are also popular. 2.3.Rare coffee produced in
Taiwan and caramel cinnamon jam are also available.

daycare center, was rebuilt into a bookstore.

An old day care center
converted into a beautiful bookstore

1.The space features warm
lighting and pleasant bookarrangements. 2.Artistic books
which you can enjoy just bylooking at them are laid out.
3.The green building blending
in to the surrounding nature has
terrace seats where you can see
a pond.

02-2749-1527
9:00am-9:00pm / No business holidays
10 minutes walk from Exit 1 of MRT Taipei
City Hall Station
http://fanplus.fanily.tw/yueyuebookstore

Stationhttp://www.artyard.tw

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A m a z i n g T a i w a n 101

P a r t 3 ▶An Enjoyable Place to do Business. The Latest Guide to Taiwan

Fo r M e n

Fo r M e n

Nostalgic picture postcards full of memories of your trip.

Coin purses in a wide variety of colors and patterns.

A cute wooden bear ornament.

A small drawstring bag suitable for holding small items.

Fo r Wom en

Fabric cardholders make great gifts.

A Taiwanese handkerchief on which a retro illustration is drawn.

Rolls of tape with original patterns (4 rolls per set).

Buy fabrics and try to make items by yourself (250g / NT$ 350).

Fo r Wom en

The honey set is a popular item in this shop.

Xiaolongbao-shaped cruets in a steaming basket.

Two seals express a character meaning "double happiness."

Unique and sensible items from different regions in Taiwan
1

A place mat with popular chopsticks and a spoon.

Fabric accessories to pay attention to in which tradition is blended into a modern design14Lovely Taiwan Shop
A general shop that brings together sensible
items that convey the goodness and local
culture of Taiwan. Well-known regional products
and folk handicraft are displayed close
together. Respective designs and packages of
items, including tea, sweets, soap, and small

1.There are a lot of unique 100%-cotton fabric items including totebags, cushions, book covers, and iPad cases. 2.A wide variety ofitems. 3.Subdued colors are also one of the characteristics of In
Blooom. 4.Yarn is also sold for people who like to knit.

ornaments are too good to miss.
No.18-2, Lane 25, Nanjing West Road, Datong
District, Taipei City
02-2558-2616
12:00pm-9:00pm / Business holiday: Monday
5 minutes walk from Exit 4 of MRT Zhongshan
Stationhttp://www.lovelytaiwan.org.tw/web/shop̲info.php

2

In Blooom

1.Strings of soap made to look like 3 owls. They possess a pleasantfragrance, making them suitable for placement in a closet or at an entrance.
(NT$ 240) 2.Clothes with an Asian flavor are also available.

2

Taiwanese General Goods Made in
Taiwan, for Yourself and for Souvenirs
GOODS

Products made in Taiwan called "MIT" (an English acronym) have become
all the rage. Even local young creators proudly label their products as "MIT",creating fashionable goods and cosmetics into which Taiwanese traditional
elements are incorporated. If you’re looking for products unique to Taiwan,
you’ll want to check these out!

3

A brand shop for printed fabrics on which
traditional Taiwanese patterns are arranged ina contemporary style. It has lots of choices offabric products which can be used in offices
and schools. A fabric made up of crested
mynas(popular bird) has been popular since
early times; another one featuring mosaic tile
patterns seen in retro buildings ia also popular.
No.28, Minle Street, Datong District, Taipei City
(original shop)
02-2555-1026
9:30am-7:00pm / No business holidays
15 minutes walk from Exit 2 of MRT Beimen
Stationhttps://www.inblooom.com

102

A m a z i n g T a i w a n 103

P a r t 3 ▶An Enjoyable Place to do Business. The Latest Guide to Taiwan

Enjoy High Quality Taiwanese Tea ofDifferent Flavors and Appearances

TEA

Taiwanese tea is one of the regular souvenirs. There is such a large variety
that it makes it difficult to decide what tea to buy. In such a case, you should
select unique tea different from others. There are different tastes dependingon the brand including packages, tea leave blends, and cultivation methods.
Let's take a trip through Taiwan’s sophisticated tea world.

Selected tea leaves aredelicious even in cold tea

Kung Fung Yung

Graceful packages are
best for souvenirs

The shop expanded its business throughthe import of Pu-erh tea. Since 2011, it hasdeveloped tea that is still rare in Taiwan.It also

Flower tea, black tea, and others
are available. Pu-erh tea (NT$ 30).

sticks to brand packages, which are known for
their beauty. The shop's pineapple cakes arealso popular.
No.7, Lane 72, Section 2, Zhongshang North

Pu-erh tea, a popular
item in the shop. It is said
to be good for health.

Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City

02-2563-2851
9:00am-9:30pm / No business holidays
3 minutes walk from Exit 2 of MRT ShuanglianMore than 10 kinds of tea, including Alishan Oolong
and Dongfang Meiren, are available and brewed by thestaff(at least NT$ 80).

Ji Shi Hao Cha

Stationhttp://www.kfytea.com

Pineapple cakes at the price of NT$ 450(8 pieces) make a great treat.

1

A full-scale tea stand produced by "Hwa

Slow-village, B1, Caowu Square, No.534,

Gung" with a history of 99 years. The owners

Yingcai Road, West District, Taichung City

are meticulous in every respect including

04-2302-8862
12:30pm-9:00pm (Sat./Sun./
Holidays: 11:00am-9:00pm) / No business holidays
Free bus No. 158 from Exit 6 of Taiwan High Speed
Rail Taichung Station. 12 minutes walk after getting

fermentation degrees depending on the tea. It
proposes new drinking styles, such as drinking
cold tea in a wine glass.

2

There are tea bags in a bookshaped package. Each set features
three books, meaning three different
tastes (at least NT$ 600).

off at Guang San SOGO (Mei Cun Road) Station

1.The shop allows tea tasting. There is an event space on the second
floor. 2.Colorful packages as well as tea leaves are attractive to theeye. They are appropriate for souvenirs.

https://www.facebook.com/goodae1923

Golden-Fish Shaped Tea Bags are a Big Hit in Japan
Emperor Love

A golden fish type tea bag created by a Taiwanese designer in 2013. It became a big topic in Japan, and an overseas
branch in was opened in Kyoto for the first time. People are fascinated by its fine appearance and gracefulness when it isput into a cup! Highly recommended as souvenirs.

Emperor Love is a chain of tea shops developedby a local restaurant brand under the concept of
2
1.The combination ofnatural herbs imported
from Germany with
Eastern tea is new. The
products are free from
artificial additives andpass strict pesticide
testing. 2.Tea bags ofblended tea, including
lavender Pu-erh tea androse green tea, are also
popular.

Tea with a new sense in which
1104

the East and the West are mixed"blending the West and the East." The tea brands

CHARM VILLA

they sell are blended top quality natural oolong

All of goldfish tea bags, which won thetea, along with blends of Eastern tea leaves and"Red Dot Design Award" in Germany,

Western herbs. In total, shops are deployed inare made by hand. Check them out!

nine areas including Taipei, Songshan Airport,
Taoyuan, and Taichung.
Departure Hall, the Second Floor, Terminal 1,

No.137, Section 2, Fengnian Road,
Beitou District, Taipei City

Songshan Airport (Songshan Airport Shop)

02-2891-0101

02-2547-2385
6:00am-9:00pm / No business holidays
The Second Floor of Terminal 1, Songshan Airport

10:30am-6:30pm /15 minutes

http://www.charmvilla.com

No business holidays

walk from Exit 1, Beitou Station

If the bag floats in the cup, it looks like agoldfish is swimming. 4 flavors. The classic
version costs NT$ 1,160 (12 pieces).

http://shop.emperorlove.com

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P a r t 3 ▶An Enjoyable Place to do Business. The Latest Guide to Taiwan

Mocha using organic
chocolate made in the
Netherlands: NT$ 200

Café Lumiére

2

Tasting first-class tea leaves
selected by the female owner

Taking a little rest while
drinking coffee

A former U.S. consulate office remade into a arts
complex. Terrace seats placed in the cafe next

in the sylvan space of ato glass windows and surrounded by greenerygive a sense of openness. You can taste craft

former embassy

beer made in Taiwan in addition to coffee anddesserts. Check out the gift shop along with the

1.There are comfortable sofas along witha counter
with four seats and a VIP room for 6 to 8 people.
There is also an event space in the basement.
2.Tea utensils carefully selected by the owner.

A cinnamon roll
generously sprinkled withsugar: NT$ 160

movie theater.

1

No.18, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road,
Zhongshan District, Taipei City

StationCold carbonated grape tea
with butterfly pea flower
jelly on the side: NT$ 150

Have
a bre
ak w
popu
ith
lar d
esse
rts

02-2562-5612
10:00am-10:00pm / No business holidays
3 minutes walk from Exit 3 of MRT Zhongshan
http://www.spot.org.tw

A cake stuffed with kiwi.
Acidity and sweetness
mingle in the mouth

CHIAO TEA SALON
The female owner – still in her 20’s - opened thistea salon because she wanted to convey the1

allure of tea to the younger generations. You canenjoy authentic tea at ease in the open salon asa modern cafe. Tea mixed with carbonated juice
goes great with handmade Taiwanese desserts.

No.2-1, Lane 164, Jinhua Street, Da'an District,Taipei City

Cool down your bodywith rich ice cream:
NT$ 9002-2351-0671

1:00pm-10:00pm

You
can s
elect
of de
2
ssert
s at a types
at lea
price
st NT
of
$ 15
0

(Fri./Sat./Sun. -11:00pm) / Business holiday:
Monday10 minutes walk from Exit 4 of

MRT Dongmen Station
https://www.facebook.com/chiaoteasalon5
3

A taro tart. Popular
hearty desserts

4

A precious cafe where2

1.Tea using tea leaves purchasedfrom contracted farmers: NT$
200. Paper fortune is also
served. 2.Terrace seating lets you
enjoy the breeze. 3.The facilities
feature approximately 50 seatsinside and around 40 seats on
the terrace. 4.Ho Hsiao Hsien,a movie director, built the wholebuilding. It is in the sophisticatedZhongshan area.

coffee tasting is possible

The name of the shop is a pun on "dear friend."

Complex full-bodied"Ethiopia Yirgacheffe
Gedeb G1"

Fragrant "Ethiopia
Yirgacheffe Chelelectu"

A Comfortable Cafe You Want to Dropin on Your Way Home from Work

ting

e tas

Coffe

Deerfriend Café
A third wave coffee shop popular for "tastingstyle" of drinking 4 to 5 kinds of coffee at theprice of NT$ 200. You can taste coffee madeof standard beans and rare beans. Menu items
created by you can be sold at the shop by using

CAFE

How about catching your breath in a quiet space apart from crowds during
your spare time for a meeting or on your way back to the hotel? There aremany cafes where you can have not only tea but also excellent coffee in
Taiwan. One cup paired with the right dessert and your fatigue will vanish.
The three cafes introduced here are perfect for visiting with friends or alone.

SNS.

"Mandheling" withdeep taste and richbitterness"Costa Rica Bella Vista"characterized by its fruity
taste and smooth sweetness

4F, No.149, Section 5, Zhongxio East Road,
Xinyi District, Taipei City
02-2749-4925
11:00am-10:00pm / No business holidays
2 minutes walk from Exit 4 of MRT Taipei City
Hall Station
https://www.facebook.com/deerfriendcafe

106

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P a r t 3 ▶An Enjoyable Place to do Business. The Latest Guide to Taiwan

HOTEL

An attractive hotel opened in July 2015. The
warm lumber used for elevators, colorful textiles
in guest rooms, and excellently designed
furniture are based on the concept of the life
and art of the Taiwanese natives. The hotel isa space where you can relax as if you were athome.
No.219-2, Section 1, Fuxing S. Road., Da'an

02-8773-9000
Standard Original Bedroom: NT$ 10,800, etc.
3 minutes walk from Exit 2 or 3 of MRT
District, Taipei City

B

o

o

k

&

A

R

T

There are many different types of hotels in Taipei, from traditional hotels
to hostels. Design hotels, known for being full of individuality, are highly
recommended for business trips. Spaces created by famous architects andcreators are like a condensed version of Taiwanese culture. You'll want tostay at a hotel that makes you look forward to returning from work.

M A D E

Home Hotel DA-AN

Attractive Design Hotels that Makea Business Trip Pleasant

The spirit of the Taiwanese natives lives
in the details of the furniture and motifs
The library-like lounge is a perfect spacefor both business and breaks
1
2

3

Zhongxiao-fuxing Station
http://www.homehotel.com.tw

1

3

T A I W A N

2

I N

1.Events such as special exhibitions are held in the lobby.
2.A native pattern is used for the pillows laid on the
Taiwanese brand "Detai" beds.
3.A variety of amenities, including the Taiwanese brand"Cha Tzu Tang" shampoo, are available.

All items are made in Taiwan, from the desks representing looms, lights, and stationery to tissue cases.

108

1.The lounge has approximately 5,000 books to read and 50 comfortable chairs. 2.You can enjoy authentic dishes and cocktails all
day long in the restaurant "The Chapter." 3.Japanese Architect Toyo Ito was involved in the hotel’s construction.

Eslite Hotel
The hotel is a member of the Eslite Group best
known for the fashionable bookstores. The hotel
is full of motifs unique to the bookstores, suchas a bookshelf occupying the entire wall of thelobby and magazine racks in guest rooms. You
can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the cityand mountains from the room. Enjoy your timein luxury.
No.98, Yanchang Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

02-6626-2888
Deluxe room: NT$ 16,000, etc.

10 minutes walk from Exit 1 of MRT Taipei
City Hall Station

Encounter Seasonal Designs at "Cheng Pin Sheng Huo"
Directly Connected to Eslite Hotel

Cheng Pin Sheng Huo, directly connected to the hotel, is a 3-story department
store that includes shops that bring together sundry goods made in Taiwan, cafes,
and a bookstore. It is a perfect place to look for souvenirs!
Cheng Pin Sheng Huo
Song-yan StoreThe building contains carefully
selected shops, including
sensitive designers' boutiquesand shops carrying household
goods with refined taste.

02-6636-5888
11:00am-10:00pm /12

1.All general goods
made by young
creators are fancy
and unique.
2.The bookstore on
the third floor is verywide.

No business holidays

http://www.eslitehotel.com

A m a z i n g T a i w a n 109

Convenient to Know

Facts about Taiwan

1

3

10

One out of 1.6 people in Taiwan
have a scooter

Taiwan is home to worldrenowned whiskey

Everyone is on
Facebook

Karaoke is extremely
luxurious!

The number of scooters is 14 million
relative to the population of
approximately 23 million. This meansthat the ratio is equal to 1 scooter per
1.6 people, which is the No. 1 in theworld!

One of the whiskies produced by
Kavalan Distillery was recognized as
the best single malt whiskey in theworld, and has received attention as
an innovative whisky in the industry.

If you make a friend in Taiwan, you're
more likely to exchange Facebook
accounts than telephone numbers.
Approximately 78% of the populationis on the platform.

Taiwanese Karaoke is characterized
by buffet style meals. Rooms are very
big and comfortable, making guests
feel like wealthy people.

6

4

12

Most Taiwanese people havetheir own English nicknames

The area surrounding Houtong Station
is famous among cat lovers. In
particular, a lot of cats live in thesloped area of a mountain behind thestation called "Cat Village".

It is hard for foreigners to remember
Chinese names and theirpronunciation. So many Taiwanesepeople have their own English
nicknames.

14

There are two types ofmailboxes, green and red

Go to the most beautiful
Starbucks in the world

Bring your eco-friendly
shopping bag, because plastic
shopping bags cost money

Dumplings are not eatenwith rice

Taiwan is famous for very cheap
university tuition, especially for foreign
students. Annual fees are approximately
half to one-third of those in a country
such as Japan regardless of whether it
is a national or private university.

5

The highest number ofconvenience stores in the world

There are two types of mailboxes in
Taiwan, a green one and a red one.
Green mailboxes are for domestic use
only, while red mailboxes are for air
mail and express use only.

Taiwan is a world convenience store
power! 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are
the most popular brands. You can findmany items unique to Taiwan.

Starbucks Bao'an Shop is in thesightseeing area of Dadaocheng. Its
built into a classical work ofarchitecture decorated with different
color chandeliers.

There is a charge for a plastic shoppingbags (approx. NT$1 / bag). Therefore,bringing your eco-friendly shopping bag
is a wise choice. If you don't have one,pick up a local eco-friendly shopping
bag as a memento of your trip.

Dumplings are a main dish in Taiwan,
so they are never eaten with rice, nor
are they often seen eaten withnoodles.

8

9

13

11
There is a"Cat Village"

College tuition ischeap!

7110

2Here, we'll share some must-know trivia about Taiwanesecustoms, culture, and manners to know before your next
business trip or tourist visit.

16

17

15
18

There is a "sax town" where 64
percent of saxophones in theworld are produced

Receipts serve as lottery
tickets

Taipei is a global
coffee town

There is a lot of emphasis on
Feng ShuiIf you drink or eat something
on the subway, you will be fined

A fund of world heritage
candidates!

Most of the famous sax
manufacturers, including "Cadeson"and "IO", produce them in Houli
District in Taichung City. Somefactories allow you to buy a sax onsite there and observe their facilities.

All Taiwanese receipts include lottery
numbers. Check the winning lottery
numbers on the governmentmanaged website. You have an
opportunity to win a maximum of
approximately NT$9680,000!

Speaking of Taiwan, people bring up
images of oolong tea and pu-erh tea,
but there are coffee shops all overtowns. Try a taste of Taiwanesecoffee!

Taiwan is one of the nations where
Feng Shui culture has spread themost deeply. Therefore, the numbers
4 and 13 are considered to be unlucky
and they are often excluded frombuilding floors.

Drinking or eating anything, including
gum and candies, is prohibited on the
MRT subway. If you commit anoffense, you will be fined NT$1,500.

Taiwan has a vast natural landscapeand many historical buildings, but
surprisingly, it doesn't have world
heritage status yet. Candidates
include the scenic "Taroko-NationalPark".

A m a z i n g T a i w a n 111

List of 28 Brand Companies which Received TAIWAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS in 2017 (alphabetical order)

English Company Name

Chinese Company Name

Industry

Introductory Page

Aropec Sports Corp.

金鴻股份有限公司

Sports products

ASUS Tek Computer Inc.

華碩電腦股份有限公司

AVer Information Inc.

QR

English Company Name

Chinese Company Name

Industry

Introductory Page

60

Kiddie's Paradise Inc.

童心園實業股份有限公司

Toy and education
products

56

Electronics

30

MARSON TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

茂森科技股份有限公司

Electronics

34

圓展科技股份有限公司

Electronics

32

Medimaging Integrated Solution Inc. (MiiS)

晉弘科技股份有限公司

Medicalequipment

76

CHING HUNG MACHINERY & ELECTRIC
INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (CHMER)

慶鴻機電工業股份有限公司

Industrial
machinery

44

Micro-Star Int’l Co., Ltd. (MSI)

微星科技股份有限公司

Electronics

36

COMEUP INDUSTRIES INC.

川方企業股份有限公司

Winch
manufacturing

62

MOAI ELECTRONICS CORPORATION

奇岩電子股份有限公司

Electronics

38

Delta Electronics, Inc.

台達電子工業股份有限公司

Industrial
machinery46

Okuma Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd.

寶熊漁具股份有限公司

Fishing products

68

Dyaco International Inc.

岱宇國際股份有限公司

Trainig & Medical
equipment

72

Onyx Healthcare Inc.

醫揚科技股份有限公司

Electronics

78

Fu Chun Shin Machinery Manufacture Co., Ltd.
(FCS)

富強鑫精密工業股份有限公司

Industrial
machinery48

Singtex Industrial Co., Ltd.

興采實業股份有限公司

Fiber products

58

Freeform Marketing Ltd.

富利豐國際有限公司

Metallic moldproducts

52

Somnics, Inc.

萊鎂醫療器材股份有限公司

Medicalequipment

80

Heartway Medical Products Co., Ltd.

台灣維順工業股份有限公司

Medicalequipment

74

Step2Gold Co., LTD.

永朔實業有限公司

Health / nursing
care products

82

HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM CORP.

大銀微系統股份有限公司

Industrial
machinery50

Sun Own Industrial Co., Ltd.

歐都納股份有限公司

Outdoor products

70

HOKWANG INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.

和光工業股份有限公司

Hand drier
manufacturing

54

Thermaltake Technology Co., Ltd.

曜越科技股份有限公司

Electronics

40

I CHIH SHIVAN ENTERPRISE CO., LTD (ICS)

一芝軒企業有限公司

Toy gunmanufacturing

64

Tokuyo Biotech Co., Ltd.

督洋生技股份有限公司

Massage chair
manufacturing

84

KENDA RUBBER IND. Co., LTD.

建大工業股份有限公司

Tire
manufacturing

66

VIVOTEK INC.

晶睿通訊股份有限公司

Camera products

42

112

QR

A m a z i n g T a i w a n 113

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE OFFICIAL MOOK
Amazing Taiwan
Planning
TAITRA
Raymond Chen
Tony L. K. Lin
Chuntse Wu
Joy H. C. Liu
Susumu Tanaka
Gloria Wang
Editors
Ark communications
Satomi Matsuda
Farin Paku
Writers
Hikaru Motoyama
Tomohiro Otsuki
Yoichi Taniguchi
Hiromi Matsubayashi
Rie Suzuki
Shino Akasaka
Interpretation
Chou poyen
Ouh Siouyun
So Shinmyo
Photographers
Mingwei Chang
Lai Seiwa
Toshiyuki Kumagai
Taizo Tanaka
Ark photo works
Ryoichi Shimizu
Hiromi Tamura
Translationb-causeDesignArk visual works
Shuichiro Miyabe
Risa Otsuka
Sales Division
Ark communications
Motohisa Fujita
Special Thanks
Tomoya Okada（T.I.R.）
Shutterstock

Supported by

Ministry of Economics Affairs, R.O.C.

Sponsored by

Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA

Organized by

Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)© 2017 TAITRA*The articles,photographs,illustrations,etc.contained in this journal may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission.
*information and data published in this issue are as of from April 2017 to June 2017.