Number of global buyers exceeded organizer`s expectations
The highly-popular 2007 Taipei Int`l Auto Parts & Accessories Show (Taipei AMPA 2007) and the 2007 Taipei Int`l Automobile Electronics Show (AutoTronics Taipei 2007) wound down successfully in early April at the Taipei World Trade Center. The twin-show, held from April 2-5, attracted a total of 995 local and foreign exhibitors who occupied 2,301 booths, up 6.5% and 2.6%, respectively from last year, according to show organizer Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).
The dual-show was a repetitive success as the number of global buyers at the annual event exceeded the show organizer`s anticipation-reaching 4,214 and many from big international companies-for a total of 35,000 local visitors or a 3.6% increase in overall number of visitors, TAITRA says.
Global visitors crowded into the Taipei AMPA, AutoTronics Taipei 2007.
TAITRA claims that the AMPA is Asia`s largest and one of the world`s leading auto-parts shows. With the emerging auto electronics sector seen as a catalyst to spark new life in the auto parts show, TAITRA has effectively opened the door to such opportunity with the twin-show format, with the AutoTronics Taipei 2007 being Asia`s first auto-electronics event. With more and more foreign exhibitors from the United States, Japan, Thailand, India, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and mainland China participating, the twin-show event is unquestionably a globalized affair.
Statistics compiled by TAITRA show that the top-five buyer nations at this year`s Taipei AMPA and AutoTronics Taipei were Japan (899 or 31.25% of the global buyers), the United States (14.73%), mainland China (9.63%), Malaysia (9.56%), and South Korea (6.85%).
VIPs paid a visit at the ARTC pavilion.
Sum Greater Than Its Parts
The first twin-show in the form of the Taipei AMPA and AutoTronics Taipei 2007 was a remarkable success, TAITRA says, and one of underpinning factors is the AutoTronics Taipei-a platform helping to realize the potential for the promising automotive-electronics sector-which is backed by Taiwan`s globally-leading information and communication technology (ICT) industry; and some of the leading players from the sector were plying their wares at the show, with especially a strong presence at the global positioning system (GPS) pavilion.
In the GPS Pavilion, displays focused on Taiwan`s turnkey and downstream supply chains, including items such as GPS chips, modules, receivers, small- and medium-sized LCD panels, human-machine interfaces, on-board GPS units, personal navigation devices (PNDs), geographical information system (GIS) map information, and others. Joint efforts by companies in the auto electronics, consumer electronics, home appliances, ICT, and telecommunications sectors in Taiwan have given GPS devices a much wider range of functions.
In addition, many leading automotive-electronic makers demonstrated quality products to throngs of global buyers, attracting ample attention. One exhibitor was Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd., which showcased its considerable range of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). Another was Holtek Semiconductor Inc., who displayed the 8-digit VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) MCU (micro-controller unit).
Taiwan has become a major production base for GPS navigation devices.
Pavilions Designed With Themes in Mind
To attract even more buyers and take advantage of the clustering effect in the domestic auto electronics industry, the organizers planned two theme pavilions for AutoTronics Taipei 2007, including the Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium (TARC) and GPS. All products and technologies at the pavilions, TAITRA believes, will see further, rapid growths in the next two years, thanks largely to the island`s already strong industrial structure.
One of the highlights is the pavilion organized by TARC, one of the key forces sparking Taiwan`s automotive-electronics industry, which has four founding members: the Mechanical and System Research Laboratories (MSL) of Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Automotive Research and Testing Center (ARTC), the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), and the Metal Industries Research and Development Center (MIRDC), as well as about 120 private suppliers and manufacturers. The fruits of their labor were showcased in the TARC Pavilion.
The ARTC demonstrated its advancements developed in the past few years, including different systems related to advanced safety, automatic cruise control systems, LED headlamps, intelligent chip-card applications and others. The theme display was the Advanced Safety Zone, in which many different but related systems were shown, including a lane departure warning system (LDWS), LKA (lane keeping assist systems), FCW (front collision warning system), PAS (parking assist system), EPS (electric power steering system) etc. The testing center also displayed two prototypes of LED headlamps and a commercialized LED headlight for motorcycles.
The MSL, one of the automotive-technology R&D centers in Taiwan, has long been working on advanced key systems and parts related to transportation equipment. The laboratory showcased its developments integrating advanced safety, hybrid power-train systems, "clean" internal combustion engines, automated manual transmission (AMT), and telematics on-board unit (OBU).
Displays in the GPS Pavilion focused on Taiwan`s comprehensive supply chain that is expected to realize lucrative potential for international sales.
This wide ranging supply chain in Taiwan, now one of the world`s largest production bases for personal navigation devices (PNDs), was well represented at the GPS Pavilion, with all kinds of items such as GPS chips, modules, receivers, small- and medium-sized liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, human-machine interfaces, GPS on-board units, PNDs, and geographical information systems (GIS) map information, among others items.
Just Auto showcased its "boutique" auto accessories.
Taipei AMPA Lived Up to Expectations
Many exhibitors and foreign buyers were satisfied with the Taipei AMPA. Depo Auto Parts Ind. Co. Ltd. was one such exhibitor, a leading auto-lamp maker in Taiwan, who sees the Taipei AMPA as one of the most important trade shows in the world, so the firm showcased its latest series of LED and high-intensity discharge (HID) auto-lamps. Just Auto, a leading auto-accessory maker, showcased its boutique-accessory series, which is decorated with rhinestones and globally marketed under its own Nobrac brand.
A number of foreign buyers were impressed with the twin-show, including ones from Halfords, Magana, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Citroen, etc. To foster more effective business, TAITRA arranged face-to-face meetings between suppliers and international representatives, such as those between BMW procurement officials and Lite-On Automotive and Systems & Technology Corp.; Mahindra & Mahindra (No. 1 SUV maker in India) with Tung Thih Enterprise Co., Ltd. (TTE) and Lite-On Automotive; Euro 07 (largest Bulgarian importer) and Jih Chueng Industrial Co., Ltd. (piston maker).
After visiting the twin-show, a senior manager from TomTom, the No. 1 GPS navigation device supplier in Europe, said he will be coming back in 2008. Dr. Rolf Schmidt, R&D manager of Volkswagen`s Japan branch, talked with many local exhibitors of automotive-electronic products and praised the show as a good supply base for quality, innovative items. And Michael Boehm, president of Folia Tec, a major auto-parts distribution chain in Germany, said that "Taiwan is the nub of the auto parts industry."
Global buyers browsing products and services.
The general consensus among the foreign visitors was that the annual event in Taipei is clearly distinctive from its rival, Auto Shanghai, in mainland China, that Taiwan-supplied products are of high quality, innovation and show ample experiences and know-how, characteristics superior to those shown by Chinese companies.
Harald Bork, president of AKZ of Germany, a major auto-parts maker, pointed out that he has been visiting the Taipei AMPA since 1997, never missing a show. In fact, he said that he could see the improvements being made by Taiwan suppliers over the years, as well as an overall industrial upgrade. In addition to Automechanika Frankfurt, the world`s largest auto-parts show in Germany, Bork visits only the Taipei AMPA.
Speakers at the 3rd Taipei Int`l Automotive Electronics Forum.
Automotive Electronics Forum
Besides product exhibits, the dual-show format also included a series of interactive activities, including "The 3rd Taipei Int`l Automotive Electronics Forum," industry seminars, procurement seminars, one-on-one trade talks, new products launch etc.
The Taipei International Automotive Electronics Forum is a unique info-business platform to let major buyers and industry experts open doors of opportunities for local suppliers, through information sharing that generally breed business contacts.
Many key industry experts from global carmakers and first-tier suppliers shared valuable insights, opinions, and latest developments in the booming auto electronics industry, including Tu Tze-chen, general director of Industrial Economics & Knowledge Center under Industrial Technology Research Institute (on topic "The present and future trend of Taiwan Autotronic Industry"), Claus Geisler, senior vice president & general manager of Infineon Technologies AG (Semiconductors--Key Driving Force for Automotive Innovations), Kirk Kuo, technical fellow Multimedia of Visteon Corp. (Innovation Drives Automobile Multimedia Business Growth), Nobuo Okubo, senior advisor of Nissan Motor of Japan (Current and Future Trends in Japanese Auto-Electronics), Frank O`Brien, executive vice president, Asia Pacific Region, Magna International (Product Development Process from a Supplier Perspective), Jeff Zhou, vice president, strategy and marketing of Siemens VDO (Consumer Electronics meets vehicle--How will CE products and contents find the way into vehicle in future?), Chang Chung-Liang, R&D manager of Audi AG (Using China`s Automobile Market as a Springboard to the European market), Dr. Girardet, R&D manager of BMW (BMW`s Auto-Electronics Innovations).
Over 400 participants, most of whom are senior managers and ranking officials in automotive-related industries, attended the above-mentioned seminars.
Literally Bigger for 2008
TAITRA says that the Taipei AMPA 2008, which will be held from April 9-12 at the soon-to-be-completed Taipei Nankang Exhibition Center (TNEC), is ready to take on greater challenges as the automotive and auto-electronics sectors are expected to shift into higher gears with China becoming a world-leading car market. The brand-new TNEC has double the floor space relative to the TWTC Exhibition Hall 1, so it is literally going to be bigger than ever.
Global Presence at Taipei AMPA/AutoTronics Taipei 2007 |
Origin | No. of Buyers | Ratio |
Asia | 2,568 | 60.94% |
North America | 479 | 11.37% |
Europe | 470 | 11.15% |
Middle East | 213 | 5.05% |
Oceania | 201 | 4.77% |
Africa | 128 | 3.04% |
South America | 87 | 2.06% |
Central America | 66 | 1.57% |
Others | 2 | 0.05% |
Total | 4,214 | 100% |
Top-10 Buyer Nation |
Nation | No. of Buyers | Ratio |
Japan | 889 | 31.25% |
United States | 419 | 14.73% |
Mainland China | 274 | 9.63% |
Malaysia | 272 | 9.56% |
S. Korean | 195 | 6.85% |
Singapore | 176 | 6.19% |
Thailand | 175 | 6.15% |
Hong Kong | 170 | 5.98% |
Australia | 158 | 5.55% |
Philippines | 117 | 4.11% |
Total | 2,845 | 100% |
(by Quincy Liang)
