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Tainan science park sees big rise in product value

Difficulties previously encountered by the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park (台南科學園區) have been solved and the total business value of the park this year might exceed NT$100 billion, officials of the park's development office said yesterday.

At a press conference held in Tainan, officials said major difficulties -- such as a controversy over vibrations created by the passage of Taiwan's first high-speed railway and a lack of flood prevention measures -- were no longer hampering the park's development.

The park generated NT$48.4 billion worth of sales during the first six months of the year, up 144 percent from a year ago, officials said. By August, sales will amount to NT$50.18 billion, they said.

"Based on our performance during the first half of the year, we expect total sales will exceed NT$100 billion this year," said Lin Yeong-shown (林永壽), a section chief of the park's development office, adding that the park is targeting an annual jump of NT$50 billion in sales over the following years.

As of June, the park hired about 11,740 employees and plans to increase the number to 15,000 by the end of this year, according to the officials.

Tai Chien (戴謙), director of the park's development office, noted that the growth of photo-electronic engineering-related industries at the park deserved attention, saying sales of this sector jumped 241 percent year-on-year to roughly NT$25.2 billion in the first six months.

"However, we also believe that future development of 12-inch fabs at the park has great potential," Tai said.

In addition, Tsai said that the park would promote the development of diverse bio-technologies relating to medicine, the pharmaceutical industry and traditional Chinese medicine.

"In a site covering 70 hectares near the high-speed railway, firms from agriculture-related bio-technology industry will be encouraged to set up," Tsai said. Several high-tech firms, which may be affected by vibration from the railway, have relocated to other places within the park, he added.

As for flooding problems, the park's officials said they have allotted about NT$2.5 billion for strengthening detention ponds, enhancing the performance of existing water-level monitoring systems and building standpipes and escape canals.

The operation of the 1,038-hectare park in Tainan County began in 1998 and so far around 82 percent of its first phase has been completed, officials said, hinting that the construction of the first phase will be completed in 2005, about five years ahead of its original schedule.

Construction of the second phase of the park will commence soon, officials said. Land will begin to be made available to firms to begin construction of their plants next month.
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