TIMTOS x TMTS 2022: Mega Machine Tools Show in Taiwan
Published on : Thursday 13-01-2022
Taiwans largest trade show since the outbreak of the pandemic TIMTOS x TMTS 2022 opens in February with endorsement from top industry leaders.
Taiwan, a machine tool power house, traditionally had TIMTOS – the Taipei International Machine Tool Show – as its flagship event since the mid-1970s. Organised jointly by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), the biennial event is held in March during odd years, in the capital city Taipei, and in recent years has been spread across two venues – Taiwan World Trade Centre and the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre.
Much later, after the machine tool industry of Taiwan formed its own association, Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA) in 2007 at Taichung – the cradle of the island nation’s machine tool industry – another show was launched in 2010, the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS), held strategically in November, and just after the last day of Japan’s mega even JIMTOF held in Tokyo during even years. The idea was to get the visitors at JIMTOF to visit Taichung and experience first-hand the prowess of Taiwan as a key player in the global machine tool sector. As the world’s only exhibition ‘integrated with manufacturing supply chain’, TMTS allows buyers to personally visit the factories – almost all located within the Greater Taichung region.
The Covid pandemic that hit the world in early 2020 and the lockdown that followed across the globe impacted most business activities in varying degrees, but perhaps impacted the trade fairs most, bringing physical events to a temporary halt. TMTS 2020 and TIMTOS 2021 events were thus ruled out as live, physical shows, as were most global events across the industrial spectrum. Two years later, new strains of the Coronavirus continue to make news, causing much consternation. While many exhibitions have turned into digital events, the user industries are missing the physical shows to see the machines in live action, and network with vendors and peers for practical insights.
Amidst this scenario, the organisers of these two major machine tool shows from Taiwan have joined hands to hold a mega show, TIMTOS x TMTS 2022. Billed as Taiwan’s largest first and only co-branded machine tool show, TIMTOS x TMTS 2022 will be held in Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre, Hall 1 and 2 from February 21 to 26, 2022. A total of 900+ exhibitors will pack the exhibition halls with 5,200 booths. Notably, it will be not only the largest trade show in Taiwan since the outbreak of the pandemic, but one of the most significant events for the global machine tool industry in early 2022.
In an international press conference for TIMTOS x TMTS 2022 held in early December 2021, the organisers, James C F Huang, Chairman of TAITRA; Larry Wei, Chairman of TAMI; and Wen-Hsien Hsu, Chairman of TMBA, sat side by side with two industry giants, Jimmy Chu, Chairman of Fair Friend Group and Jui-Hsiung Yen, Chairman of TTGroup, making an insightful panel discussion on the theme “Impacts, Challenges and Opportunities for Global Machine Tool Industry after The Pandemic.”
Chairman Huang of TAITRA said that Taiwan plays a crucial role in supporting the global machine tool supply chain, as Taiwan is renowned for its customisation and innovation. What’s more, Taiwan’s expertise in communications and information technology enable Taiwan machine tool manufacturers to develop the best solutions for end users around the world, Huang also pointed out that the TIMTOS x TMTS mega show will be showcasing a wide array of R&D outputs of high profile manufacturing from Taiwan Team.
TAMI Chairman Wei added that the previous supply chain has been fundamentally changed since the global pandemic has created an opportunity for Taiwan players to explore new businesses in the post-pandemic era.
Meanwhile, Chairman Hsu, TMBA, encouraged continuous progression toward intelligent manufacturing, SaaS and interface unity. The co-branded event, TIMTS x TMTS 2022, will be another eye-catcher, right after Taiwan machine tool industry’s outstanding performance in helping fight against the pandemic with great success last year.
The emerging industries, for example, electric vehicles have caused great impacts on the global machine tool supply chain to date. Jimmy Chu, Chairman of Fair Friend Group and Jui-Hsiung Yen, Chairman of TTGroup shared options and experiences about enterprise transformation in the wake of such opportunities and challenges, which fully demonstrated Taiwan companies’ resilience and flexibility when dealing with the supply chain issues.
Aside from Fair Friend Group and TTGroup, key exhibitors at home and abroad include HIWIN, PMI, Victor Taichung, YLM, SHINBU, KFO, CHMER, FANUC, MAZAK, YOU JI, TAKISAWA, YCM, TRUMPF, Delta, Mitsubishi, and Siemens.
The machinery industry has become Taiwan's third trillion-dollar industry, second to the semiconductor and panel industries. Total exports of Taiwan machine tools from January to October 2021 reached US$2.245 billion, a phenomenal increase by 27.6% over the same period last year. With increasing Covid-19 vaccination rates and growing demands, it is expected that Taiwan machine tool industry exports will hit a new record in the next few months.
The organisers are very much aware of the fluid situation with periodic surges in infections due to new strains of Covid and the travel restrictions in place. This effectively rules out international visitors for the show. In response, the Digital Edition of the show will be hosted for one month, from February 21, 2022 to March 221, 2022, facilitating global participation, even as the physical event is held only for six days. The Digital version has a lineup of online services and activities in conjunction with the physical exhibition, including On-site Guide for Online Visitors, Live Tour @ Showground, Live Stage for product launches, virtual display, and online 1-on-1 procurement meetings.
