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EMO Hannover 2007 Shorter in Duration but Even More Popular Than Last
2007/11/06
The six-day EMO Hannover 2007 exhibition held at the Messe Hannover of Germany, the world`s largest machine-tool show, ended on Sept. 22 amid a spate of accolades as well as having drawn more exhibitors, visitors and global presence compared to the last session held two years ago.
The European Committee for Cooperation in the Machine Tool Industry (CECIMO), organizer of the EMO Hannover 2007, said approximately 166,000 visitors flocked to the event to purchase sophisticated machine tools, place orders, and learn about the latest developments in metalworking. This represented an increase of 4% over the previous event when EMO still ran for a total of eight days. Even the number of exhibitors-2,118 exhibitors from 42 different nations-was up 5%, and the floor space occupied by exhibitors was also up by 12%, reaching a total of 180,000 net square meters.
 | | Over 166,000 visitors flock to the EMO Hannover 2007 to tap opportunities in machine tool arena. |
The CECIMO said the EMO Hannover 2007 gave the international machine-tool sector an enormous shot in the arm. According to the official exhibitor survey, this year`s EMO show generated orders placed worth some four billion euros. More than half of all exhibitors were anticipating a positive influence on subsequent German and European sales.
 | | A domestic machine-tool manufacturer talks with a foreign buyer. |
The EMO was initiated in 1950 by CECIMO, an international association jointly formed by the machine-tool industries of European member nations. The CECIMO is made up of national machine tool organizations from four countries and represents all major manufacturers in the industry in Europe. The 1,300 or so member companies in CECIMO currently turn out 46% of the global machine tools.
The CECIMO said that the general assessment among EMO exhibitors was positive. Over two thirds of them were more than satisfied with the show. As one of the exhibitors put it: "This is the best show I ever experienced." An additional plus consisted of exhibitors being able to reach all their key industrial target groups, especially automotive manufacturers and subcontractors, the mechanical engineering industry and the entire spectrum of metalworking and metal processing.
International Representation
Other important indicators pointing to the leading role played by EMO Hannover were also up, including the percentage of visitors from outside Germany. Over 37% of trade visitors came from abroad, from a total of 80 different nations. Commensurate with the high level of European demand for machine tools, the number of visitors from Western Europe was up sharply, particularly from Switzerland, France, Italy, Sweden and Austria. The biggest contingents of visitors from overseas were from India and the U.S.
The CECIMO claimed the number of attending executives rose to nearly 60% of overall attendance. Exhibitors` perception of EMO as a unique forum for winning new customers was reinforced again this year, with over a third of all visitors being first-timers.
As the leading innovations forum for the metalworking industry, EMO Hannover 2007 showcased a wide variety of cutting-edge technologies which are now market-ready following their unveiling at the previous event. One problem which has been addressed in a number of new solutions this year is the reduction of preparation time. Many machine-tool manufacturers have considerably reduced the time required for tool changing or now provide advance simulations of the setup procedure, considerably reducing machine overheads as a result. And the integration of control systems into the manufacturing process was another hot topic at this year`s show. This year, machine-tool manufacturers teamed up with software providers to present brand-new approaches to enhancing customer productivity by optimizing the production process in terms of production time or surface quality.
Eager Participation by Taiwan Suppliers
According to a survey conducted by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), a total of 151 Taiwanese manufacturers of machine tools and relevant components took part in the EMO Hannover 2007, up 20% from the preceding edition.
TAMI chairman Fred P.C. Huang noted that the European Union is now the world`s largest production and consumption marketplace. Machine tools produced by the EU member nations not only meet domestic demand but are also exported globally. Many exhibitors participated in the show to boost their share of the EU market.
Huang noted that mainland China was the largest outlet for Taiwan-made machine tools last year by absorbing 38% of Taiwan`s total machine tool exports, with the EU coming in second with 20% last year.
TAMI`s tallies showed Taiwan exported US$1.57 billion worth of machine tools to the world market in the first half of this year, up 16.7% year-on-year. The island exported US$360 million worth of the products to the EU in the first half of this year, accounting for 23% of Taiwan`s overall machine-tool exports.
The eager turnout by domestic machine-tool firms showed they are ambitious to tap the European marketplace. Huang said Taiwan`s machine-tool manufacturers have established a sound reputation globally over the past few years because of their persistent pursuit of developing high-precision products.
An estimate by the Industrial Development Bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs shows that the overall exports of Taiwan-made machine tools and relevant components may break the US$13 billion mark in 2010.
An analysis prepared by the TAMI, Taiwan`s manufacturing firms participating in the EMO Hannover 2007 mostly displayed a variety of sophisticated machine models and technologies. For instance, Hiwin Technologies Corp., one of the island`s leading manufacturers of linear-based components, displayed high-loading roller-type linear guideways, roller-type screws and robotic arms, and football-playing machines. Eric Y.T. Chuo predicted his company would see a 50% year-on-year growth in sales to the European marketplace this year.
Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., one of Taiwan`s largest manufacturers of machine tools, showcased six models of newly developed machine tools at the show, including vertical, horizontal lathes, and machining centers, and a lathe dubbed Vturn-40-220 especially designed for processing long metal bars.
Bert M.H. Huang, president of Victor Taichung, said his company has received orders for the Vturn-40-220 lathe that will keep his production lines booked till the end of this year since the model was debuted at the March Taipei International Machine Tool Show this year. Huang anticipated his company`s participation in the EMO Hannover 2007 would help bring in more orders.
Showcasing Innovative Machines
The EMO Hannover 2007 saw many exhibitors from Taiwan showcase newly developed high-speed multi-stack machine tools to vie for more business opportunities in the European market.
Leading domestic manufacturers who took part in the EMO show included Tongtai Machine & Tool Co., Yeong Chin Machinery Industries Co., She Hong Industrial Co., Far East Machinery Co., Goodway Machinery Co. and Quaser Machine Tools Inc. These companies unanimously agreed that the European market is dominated by high-performance machine tools due to high labor costs.
Hsin-hua Yeh, president of She Hong, said in recently years some European manufacturers of automobile parts have retraced their way home from Turkey, as well as those who tried to turn out high-quality goods in Eastern European nations.
About a decade ago, some European manufacturers of automotive and related parts rushed to relocate production to Eastern Europe and Turkey to cope with skyrocketing labor costs and social welfare contributions. But they have found that they couldn`t make high-quality products in Eastern Europe and Turkey as they did at home, which has pushed them to return home. Such situation has helped to raise demand for high-efficiency and high-performance machine tools in the European marketplace.
Goodway general manager Fu-chu Hsu said his company showcased five top-tier machine tools at the EMO Hannover 2007 to meet the European market`s demand for laborsaving and high-efficiency production equipment. Hsu said the five machine tools are equipped with dual spindles, dual power turrets and Y-axis, allowing such multiple machining functions as cutting, milling and drilling without the need to move workpieces. He believed his company would eventually land orders for 50 such machines worth over NT$100 million (US$3.03 million) from both the EMO and follow-up business.
Factory Automation Technology Co., a subsidiary of Far East Machinery Group, displayed a multi-task machine tool, equipped with a high-speed spindle and power turret, to tap the automotive part industry in Europe. In addition, the company also showcased its niche model-a horizontal boring & milling machine.
Effectively meeting the European market demand for high-efficiency machine tools, Factory Automation claimed it landed orders from Italian, Finnish and Turkish buyers at the EMO event on-the-spot. The company anticipated it would see exports to the European market double this year from the preceding year`s level.
Taiwan Contingent Sees Success
Thanks to the increased demand for price-competitive and high-quality Taiwan-made machine tools, most of the Taiwan participants in the EMO Hannover 2007 claimed they saw substantial growth in orders landed at the show compared to that held two years ago.
Taiwanese exhibitors who signed up orders of more than 100 machine tools included She Hong Industrial Co., Yeong Chin Machinery Industries Co., Tongtai Machine & Tool Co., Goodway Machine Corp., Awea Mechantronic Co., Falcon (Chevalier) Machine Tools Co., Quaser Machine Tools Inc., and Far East Machinery Co. In addition, Hiwin Technology Corp., Taiwan`s leading manufacturer of linear-based mechanical components, also saw significant success in closing deals at the show.
Hiwin claimed it has signed a three-year supply contract with DMG, the largest manufacturer of machine tools in the whole of Europe. In addition, the company has also acquired orders from Heller Co., the well-known manufacturer of automobile processing equipment in Europe. With the acquisition of the big-ticket orders, the company predicted its sales in the European marketplace will double to reach 50 million euro next year to become one of Europe`s top-three suppliers of linear motion parts.
Such big-ticket orders bagged by these leading manufacturers will help the domestic machine-tool industry keep its double-digit growth in annual sales in 2008.
She Hong`s president Hsin-hua Yeh said his company displayed the newest-developed machine tools at the 27th Hall of the EMO Hannover 2007, which also housed many big names from Germany, Japan, the U.S. and South Korea. Yeh claimed his company received orders for some 100 machine tools worth over NT$300 million (US$9.23 million) on-the-spot during the six-day show.
Tongtai boasted it landed on-the-spot orders of some 60 machine tools from customers mainly in the aerospace parts and mold sectors. The company said the demand for machine tools by components manufacturers in Europe has been on the rise.
Others like Falcon (Chevalier), Goodway, Awea, Quaser, and Far East all boasted that they received orders for dozens of various types of machine tools, with some even landing huge orders for some 100 machines.
In addition to the manufacturers of machine tools, upstream manufacturers focusing on the production of precision mechanical components and parts, including Pou Yuen Technology Corp., Golden Sun Industrial Co., and Habor Precision Industry Co. also chalked up considerable success at the show.
C.C. Wang, vice president of the TAMI, noted Europe and Asia would become the two engines driving the global machine-tool industry to continue growing in 2008. He predicted that Taiwan`s machine-tool industry would see double-digit growths in both production and exports in 2008.
Hiwin Clinches Big-ticket Orders
During the exhibition, Hiwin announced that its German affiliate-Hiwin GmbH has clinched a big-ticket order from DMG, Europe`s largest machine-tool manufacturer. The deal will see Hiwin supply precision mechanical components to DMG over the next three years, which will, according to estimates, enable Hiwin GmbH to generate annual sales topping 50 million euros in 2008, becoming the third-largest supplier of linear transmission components.
In addition to DMG, other leading European firms have also placed orders with Hiwin, including Homag Co., Europe`s largest manufacturer of woodworking machinery; Heller Co., the specialized supplier of processing equipment for Mercedes Benz and BMW automobiles; and Manz Co. and Ekra Co., both are best-known suppliers of solar-energy equipment.
Hiwin Technologies president Eric Y.T. Chuo said Hiwin GmbH has seen annual sales quadruple over the past five years. The German affiliate achieved 60% and 50% annual growths in order volume and sales in the first eight months of this year.
At present, Hiwin GmbH has an 8% market share in Germany for roller screws and linear guideways. In the next few years, the company will narrow the lead held by such big names as THK Co. and Star Co. in the field of linear transmission products.
Chuo stressed that his company is poised to become the world`s largest manufacturer of roller screws, the world`s third-largest manufacturers of linear guideways, and the world`s fourth-largest manufacturer of robots.
Hiwin Technologies noted that its production capacity will sharply increase after its two plants, one each located in Yunlin Technology Industrial Park and Taichung Precision Machinery Industrial Park, are completed in the next few years.
It is estimated Hiwin Technologies will see annual sales break the NT$10 billion (US$303.3 million) mark in 2009 to meet the goal set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs as a NT$10 billion flagship firm.
Bellwether in Large-sized CNC Lathes
Jashico Machine Manufacture Co. is one of the few domestic manufacturers who captured ample attention of foreign buyers at the EMO Hannover 2007 because it showcased a large-sized, multifunctional CNC lathe. The company is famous for its unique technologies in developing large-sized CNC lathes that are marketed under its own "Top-Turn" brand, while the company has seen its dedication to developing sophisticated technologies in producing large-sized CNC lathes pay off.
 | | Jashico captures foreign buyers` attention by showcasing the large-bore CNC machine tool. |
Starting by producing high-speed lathes 25 years ago, Jashico turned to focus on developing large-sized lathes in 1992 and began rolling out the high-value-added products in the following year. At present, the company`s main product line is the CNC lathes with spindle bores of nine inches up to 21 inches in diameter.
"World demand for large-sized lathes will grow rapidly in the decade to come along with burgeoning development of oil-exploration, wind energy, nuclear energy, papermaking and steel refining. We have profited from such rosy scenario over the past three years," commented George Wang, president of Jashico Machine Manufacture Co., Ltd.
To meet customer demand, the company claims it has developed Taiwan`s largest slant-bed CNC lathe featuring large swing-over-bed, large-bore capable of processing workpieces of two meters up to 12 meters in length. The CNC lathe can be equipped with C-axis to cut, mill, drill and engrave, as well as serve as a planomiller and vertical lathe simultaneously. The machine saves users time on loading and unloading due to its special machine change capability for two-cycle processing of large workpieces.
At present, the company`s most popular large-sized slant-bed CNC lathe features 14.5-inch bore, which is used for processing oil pipes. In the past, the company was capable of delivering the 14.5-inch model in 90 days after order confirmation; but now it takes 400 days due to backlog of orders.
Wang said his company began focusing on the production of large-sized slant-bed CNC lathes five years ago. As early as in 2004, the company acknowledged that it has to develop high-precision, multi-task lathes capable of milling, cutting and drilling to boost the added-value of its products. That year saw the company received a NT$4 million (US$123,070) subsidy from the MOEA through the special science and technology development program.
The company noted that it uses high-tier GB300 cast iron for machine beds. "Compared to general-purpose cast iron, the GB300 features more alloy ingredients," explained Wang. "At present, the GB300 is sold for NT$54 (US$1.63) per metric ton, compared to NT$40 (US$1.21) for general-purpose cast iron."
To facilitate the production of high-quality large-sized CNC lathes, the company imports high-priced TIMKEN-brand spindles from the U.S. The spindle for the 21-inch bore machine is priced as high as NT$2 million (US$60,600) each.
"At present, we have to set aside NT$3 million (US$90,900) annually to develop software, which is the backbone of large-sized CNC lathes," said Wang. "The huge investments in developing sophisticated software enable us to produce state-of-the-art lathes. Because of the huge investments in software development, we are capable of developing multi-task lathes that can cut, mill, drill, tap, engrave and grind. The investment in R&D and software has paid off as over 70% of our output is exported, mainly to the highly industrialized nations in Europe."
"The stability of large-sized CNC lathes hinges on the gearing system," comments Wang. "To ensure the quality of our large-sized CNC lathes, we stick to importing high-grade components from Germany. By employing our well-established design skill, we can install such components in the gearing system which is also encoder-sensor equipped to ensure high performance."
(by Ben Shen)
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