Taiwan-headquartered nonprofit trade promotion organisation Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra) hosted the first conference and technology forum on machine tools in Midrand, Johannesburg, this week.

Representative of Taipei Liaison Office-South Africa Pei-Yung Hsu states that the local branch of the organisation has seen a need for machine tools stakeholders and the automotive industry to gather and showcase the industry’s innovations and discuss the latest available technology to take the local industry forward.

He adds that Taitra believes South Africa has significant growth potential for the machine tools sector and that it needs collective efforts – in actions such as the conference and other exhibitions – to reach that potential.

The conference saw the latest technology and innovation in machine tools on display, showcasing information on how Taiwan machine tooling can support local companies’ manufacturing quality, cost and delivery, while affording attendees the opportunity to develop trade relations and partnerships with Taiwan-based companies, interact with leading Taiwan machine tools manufacturers and get free access to the South African Automotive Week trade show, which was also held in Midrand throughout this week.

Hsu highlights that Taiwan’s machine tools and components industry is the world’s fourth largest exporter of machine tools and components and thereby offers international buyers a combination of “excellent quality and reasonable prices”.

“Taiwan’s products are preferred by most customers, particularly those from newly industrialised countries such as South Africa. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, half of South Africa’s machine tools imports are from Taiwan, making this island nation the leading source of such capital goods in the market,” he explains.

Speakers at the conference included research organisation Topology Research Institute VP Lee Hwang, machine tools manufacturer Tongtai Machine & Tool representative Paul Savides and machinery technology developer Vision Wide Tech’s Eric Wu.

Hwang’s paper was titled ‘Taiwan’s machine tool manufacturing know-how to substantially contribute to the South African automotive industry’, while Savides’ is called ‘Tong Tai’s smart processing technology and solutions for auto parts manufacturing’. Wu’s presentation was ‘Taiwan’s auto mold manufacturing technologies and solutions’.

The Taiwan-based Topology Research Institute was established in 1996. It boasts more than 90 professional members across Taiwan, China and the US. The company describes itself as one of the best market and industry research private companies for the high tech industry in Taiwan.

Tongtai Machine & Tool was incorporated in 1969 and specialises in computer numerical control lathes and machine centres, special process machines and
turnkey solutions. The company says that it works closely with a Japanese research and development team to provide customers with new models that feature higher precision and quality.