Advantech Co (研華), the world’s largest industrial computer maker, yesterday said it aims to increase its revenue this year by a double-digit percentage, driven by the fast-growing “smart” manufacturing business sector.
Advantech reported revenue of NT$42 billion (US$1.4 billion) for last year, up 10.53 percent from NT$38 billion in 2015.
“It has been our goal to grow revenue by a double-digit percent every year,” company president Chaney Ho (何春盛) told a media briefing in Taipei.
“This year, we see smart manufacturing outgrowing other business units, which is has never been seen before. Smart manufacturing used to be a dull business,” he added.
However, momentum has picked up rapidly on a rising trend of industrial automation worldwide, Ho said.
Advantech made 30 percent of its revenue from its industrial 4.0 Internet of Things business, Ho said.
An increasing number of manufacturers worldwide intend to improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce workforces by automating their production lines, which is a boon for Advantech, he said.
There are more than 10 million factories worldwide, including 6 million in China, 2.1 million in Europe, 250,000 in the US and 80,000 in Taiwan, he said.
Based on McKinsey & Co’s forecast, the 4.0 technology market will grow to US$11 trillion by 2025, Ho said.
About half of that will be in the “smart” manufacturing sector, he said.
Advantech provides “smart” manufacturing solutions to large-scale companies, including China’s home appliance makers, Ho said.
The company is also involved in the government’s industrial automation project for machine tool manufacturers in Taichung, he said.
Advantech also makes industrial computers for the transportation sector, he said.
The company also hopes to play a role in supplying industrial computers for electric vehicle recharge stations in Taipei, he said.
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