The government, after giving four new projects a green light, has secured NT$854.7 billion (US$28.48 billion) in pledged investments from local firms through three government subsidy programs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.
The four companies plan to invest as much as NT$2.7 billion at home, the ministry said, adding that it has yet to review applications from about 90 companies seeking to participate in the subsidy programs.
Automotive lighting module maker Laster Tech Co Ltd (麗清科技) plans to invest NT$800 million to set up a smart production facility in Taoyuan City’s Guanyin Industrial Park (桃園觀音工業區) so that it can meet the requirements of customers seeking to avoid US tariffs on China-made products.
Laster aims to install automated equipment in the plant to produce controllers for vehicle headlights, the ministry said, adding that the investment would generate 142 job opportunities.
Optical lens and components maker Kinko Optical Co Ltd (今國光學), which counts Japanese firms Canon Inc, Nikon Corp, Sony Corp and Tamron Co Ltd among its end customers, aims to invest more than NT$600 million to expand its existing plant in Taichung City’s Wuqi District (梧棲), as it seeks to minimize the impact of US tariffs on its business.
The firm plans to expand its capacity to produce high-precision optical modules, while lowering module production costs, the ministry said.
Under a separate program launched last year, the ministry has approved the applications of Anderson Industrial Corp (恩德科技) and Chi Deh Crane Engineering Co Ltd (啟德機械).
Facing capacity saturation at its existing production facilities, Anderson, a computer numerical control machinery manufacturer, aims to invest more than NT$400 million to set up new plants in Miaoli County’s Houlong Township (後龍) and Taichung’s Wuci District (梧棲).
The investment would generate 42 jobs, the ministry said.
Chi Deh, a high-precision machinery transportation and installation specialist, plans to invest more than NT$800 million to purchase smart equipment for its plant in Taichung’s Qingshui District (清水) to expand production capacity.
The company needs to expand local capacity as most of its customers move production back to Taiwan, the ministry said, adding that the company also seeks to import German-made cranes to upgrade its services.
Chi Deh’s clients include flat-panel makers AU Optronics Corp (AUO, 友達光電) and Innolux Corp (群創), as well as memorychip maker Micron Technology Inc and China Steel Corp (CSC, 中鋼).
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