Global Fastener News

September 28, 1990 FIN – Editor’s Note: Henry Pan has been chairman of the Taiwan Industrial Fasteners Institute for two terms (totaling six years).  He is also the president of Tung Kuang (TK), one of the largest fastener and fastener machinery producers in Taiwan and the only publicly traded fastener company.  Pan overviewed the industry for FIN and also explained some of his plans for the future.

The Taiwan Industrial Fasteners Institute has 520 members, of which are 310 of which Henry Pan called “inside members” and 210 he called “outside members.”  Membership includes 10 companies from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The largest fastener companies in Taiwan include TK (publicly traded), a producer of fasteners and fastener machinery; Chun Yu (privately held), a producer of fasteners and fastener machinery; San Shing, the largest producer of steel nut products; Tong Hwae, the largest producer of stainless steel fasteners; and Bao Wan, the largest producer of small screws.

About 62% of Taiwan’s fastener exports are shipped to the U.S., totaling US$900 million, about a 5% increase since 1988, according to Pan.

• About quality and inspection matters: Pan explained that measures have or are being taken to put SPC and quality control programs into place.  (FIN learned in speaking with people traveling from the U.S. that only by actually touring facilities does a buyer get the true picture as to the extent of those programs.)
Currently, says Pan, fastener products are inspected by the Inspection Department of the Taiwanese Government.  However, the TIFI is working to get the authority from the Taiwanese government for the TIFI and private business to fund and develop its own programs for quality inspections, including the setting of penalties for those who don’t follow the rules.
Pan said that there are no plans at this time to make any kind of formal statements about their programs, but work will be ongoing about these matters, and the TIFI will look to convince the U.S. fastener industry that its lab and inspection procedures are sufficient.

• The industry’s looking to expand:  In a number of ways, the Taiwanese fastener industry is looking to get even bigger.  Pan explained that though Taiwan has drastically increased its exports of stainless steel fastener products (about 20% per year over the past few years), the stainless steel rod is still imported from Japan.  By 1992, he says, two companies, the Hwa-Sin Li-Hwa Group and the Yeh-Shin Group, are looking to open as public companies to produce stainless steel rod in Taiwan.
Also, those of you who are familiar with Pan, know that he was instrumental in getting the approval to acquire acreage for the major fastener producing industrial area in Kaosiung, Taiwan, in the southern part of Taiwan.
Pan tells FIN that he, the TIFI, and the Economic Minister of Taiwan are negotiating the purchase of 150 acres on Mainland China for fastener manufacturing in an area called Chan-Cho, which is located just across the Taiwan Strait.
Since shipping of rod is a problem back and forth across the strait, also under negotiation is the opening of a rod mill on Mainland China in an area called Shian Wan-Chang.  The rod mill would be supplied by Taiwanese machinery.
The opening of this industrial area is still under discussion.
Finally, the term “joint venture” came up quite frequently in discussions with Pan.  He explained that we (in the U.S) may see more joint ventures with companies in the U.S., not to compete against the importers, its customers, but rather to take part as an administrative and/or financial partner in a U.S. company’s day to day operations.  ©1990/2009 Fastener Industry News.  ©1990/2012 Fastener Industry News
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