German Companies in Taiwan
Source: the China Post (10/3/2016)
German Unity Day, celebrating the anniversary of German reunification in 1990, falls on Oct. 3 every year. Mr. Martin Eberts, director general of the German Institute Taipei, recently published an article in the China Post to celebrate this special day.
The article complimented Taiwan as one of the most innovative countries in the world as well as an attractive research hub for German companies in Asia. Furthermore Taiwan is among the leaders in the production of notebook computers, smartphones, LCD televisions, semiconductors, optoelectronics, as well as in certain sectors of machine tool manufacturing. Well-developed industrial parks, proximity to most important Asian markets and a business tax system focused on international competitiveness and foreign investment have made Taiwan one of the most favorable locations for R&D investment.
The world's largest supplier of automotive components, Robert Bosch GmbH, currently has four business operations in Taiwan, including Robert Bosch Taiwan Co. Ltd., Bosch Rexroth Co. Ltd., Unipoint Electric MFG. Co. Ltd., and BSH Home Appliances Private Ltd. The German company has been present in Taiwan since 1990 and has grown from 150 employees to about 1,000 employees in 2016. In its three R&D centers, Bosch Taiwan develops security cameras, car parts and MEMS-sensors. Thanks to its competitive cost structure, strategic geographic position in Asia and proximity to important science parks as well as highly qualified workers, Taiwan has become a particularly interesting R&D location for the company.
In 2012, the Germany's Evonik Industries, a global leader in specialty chemicals, opened its first Advanced Project House "Light & Electronics" at one of Taiwan's leading research institutes -- the Industrial Technology and Research Institute in Hsinchu.
The German pharmaceutical and chemical company Merck, which is a leader in the field of performance materials with more than 2,500 patents, opened its New Business R&D and Application Lab in Taiwan in 2013. The lab provides key materials and technical services for the development of OLED panels, LED lighting, 3D technology and flexible displays, thus helping customers accelerate product development for these new technologies and shortening the time to market.
Meanwhile, Linde Group, the world's largest industrial gas supplier by market share, recently invested more than US$ 5.5 million in their new research facility located in the center of Taiwan. The Electronics R&D Center is part of the German company's ongoing expansion and investment in the Asia-Pacific region and will support local customers and development partners with its state-of-the-art analytical and product development laboratory.
Taiwan is not only an attractive location for large companies but also the perfect location for German small and medium sized enterprises. For example, Manz Automation AG, a globally active high-tech equipment manufacturer, acquired the Taiwan's company Intech, the leading manufacturer of wet processing equipment in Asia, in 2008 for US$55.8 million. This acquisition allowed Manz to obtain significant market share in the PCB, TFT-LCD, automation equipment and solar energy manufacturing equipment industries. While Intech is already a key Asia-Pacific business development center for the Manz Group, Taiwan is also one of only three countries worldwide where the company is pursuing R&D activities.