2023 TPCIA Annual General Meeting and Taiwan Passive Component Industry Forum
The Taiwan Passive Components Industry Association (TPCIA), in collaboration with the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre and the National Cheng Kung University, successfully held the "2023 TPCIA Annual General Meeting and Taiwan Passive Component Industry Forum" at The Garden Villa in Kaohsiung on March 24th. The event was attended by nearly 70 member representatives and industry professionals, and was kicked off by speeches from Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Lo Tsa-sheng and TPCIA's inaugural chairman and acting CEO of the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, Lin Chih-lung.
Deputy Mayor Lo Tsa-sheng stated in his speech that the passive components industry is an indispensable part of the entire electronics industry, and Kaohsiung is one of the key players in passive component development. Major manufacturers such as Yageo, Walsin, Jianyi, Chilisin Electronics, Walsin Technology, Qinkai, Huarong, Lextar, and Panjit International have made significant contributions to the industry chain. Currently, Kaohsiung's industrial focus lies in advanced semiconductor processes, 5G, AIoT applications, digital transformation, and the promotion of the electric vehicle industry. With the rapid development of 5G smartphones and the continuous expansion of the electric vehicle industry, there are even greater opportunities to propel the passive components industry to new heights.
Chairman Lin Chih-lung pointed out that under the leadership of the Kaohsiung City Government, the historical city of Kaohsiung has undergone innovative transformations. With the presence of the Semiconductor S-Corridor and a combination of technology, lifestyle, and cultural tourism, Kaohsiung is also home to the manufacturing headquarters of passive components. Within the S-Corridor, it is believed that the passive components industry will be able to develop comprehensively and become one of Taiwan's protective industry clusters. The association hopes to continue its efforts in promoting activities such as seminars, company visits, and industry-academia collaboration to provide more industry information and serve as a bridge between the government and the industry, connecting industry, government, academia, and research institutions, promoting advanced technology research and development, and manufacturing high-end products to enhance the international competitiveness of Taiwan's passive components industry.
Vice Chairman Professor Lee Wen-hsi mentioned that in recent years, the Chinese government has also listed the passive components industry as a national key industry and has provided full support and subsidies to establish a red passive components industry supply chain. Massive government and market funds have been invested in the passive components industry in China, aiming to catch up with passive component manufacturers in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan using a low-cost strategy. This has put significant pressure on Taiwan's passive components industry. Based on this development trend, there is a concern that Taiwan's passive components industry may follow the path of marginalization seen in the LED and solar energy industries.
To respond to the booming passive components industry in mainland China, the Taiwanese passive components industry urgently needs to integrate the upstream and downstream industries and harness the collective power of Taiwan's industry, government, academia, and research institutions to establish a national team for the passive components industry. This will assist the Taiwanese passive components industry in not only diversifying its market layout but also enhancing the application of passive component technology in the emerging electric vehicle market. On the other hand, it is also necessary to promote comprehensive upgrades of the upstream materials and equipment industries in Taiwan's passive components industry. This involves not only achieving localization to achieve a self-sufficient complete industrial ecosystem but also introducing digital AI technology to strengthen the research and development of advanced passive component materials and to realize intelligent manufacturing and maintenance of passive component equipment using AI technology. The goal is to enhance the global competitiveness of Taiwan's passive components industry.
In addition to reporting on the conference proceedings, a presentation of appreciation was made during the event. Chairman Lin Chih-lung presented a certificate of appreciation to Yageo Corporation, thanking them for their support to the association and providing a sponsorship prize of NT$300,000 for the joint organization of the passive component student paper competition with TPCIA. The competition aims to inspire and encourage young Taiwanese students to engage in research and development in the field of passive components, cultivate outstanding engineering talents for the industry, enhance interaction between the industry and academia, and promote the advancement and innovation of passive component industry technology.