Page 28 - Taiwan Machinery 2021-09 Edition

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INDUSTRY REPORT

T
Taiwan’s Machinery Industryaiwan’s Machinery Industry

Hindered by Supply Chained by Supply Chain
Hinder

and P
and Pandemic Issuesandemic Issues

How the last year has changed minds about digital transformation

(Photo courtesy of CENS)

By Wang Cheng-Ching (TAMI Association Affairs Consultant) Translated by Chao Ting-Yu

he machinery industry in Taiwan has been experiencing cases since May.
Ta five-month consecutive growth in the double-digits However, TAMI Chairman Wei Tsan-wen warned in
as of Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry’s (TAMI) late May that should the Taiwan dollar’s exchange rate to
statistics released in June, rounding up the export value US dollars exceed NTD$27.5, all the progress and profi ts
at USD$13.167 billion, a 27.5% annual growth. Figures could be wiped clean due to exchange loss. To build up
indicate that the growth would continue despite the local resilience, many domestic machinery suppliers have opted
COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan. to fi lter incoming orders, Wei said, pointing out that these
companies would rather ensure these orders are profi table,
As of writing, Taiwan is still amid the worst locally rather than focusing on sales targets. It was another
transmitted outbreak since the COVID-19 pandemic began example of how the pandemic has changed not only
last year, though cases appear to have tapered off by the consumer behavior, but also companies taking in orders.
end of June. Companies and local governments have been
moving quickly to stem transmission and fl ush out cases In certain cases throughout Q1-Q2, Wei reported
through proactive screening measures. Much of Taiwan’s that some suppliers have already lost profits due to the
machinery capabilities are located in central Taiwan, exchange loss, lamenting that they did not make any gains
specifi cally Taichung City, compared to the island’s fi nancial even when delivering the orders.
sector in the Greater Taipei area, which saw the most

Taiwan Machinery 2021 September