Hiwin Technologies and Avantech announced a strategic alliance yesterday to provide customized solutions programs for smart automated robots as well as forming a joint application system integration company.
Hiwin Technology is a manufacturer of robotic arms, server motors, drivers, transmission components, and specialty jigs. Avantech is a supplier of industrial computers that specializes in controllers, industrial computers, and machine vision programs.
Avantech board chairman K.C. Liu said that Hiwin Technology and Avantech are engaged in a part of the robotics industry, and that this alliance is most significant for announcing Taiwan’s advantage in developing the robotics industry through collaborations. Although Taiwan’s robotics industry is behind Japan and Germany, it’s advantage lies in alliances and clustering. If the related resources can be integrated, he believes that in 20 years the robotics industry will be a core industry in Taiwan.
K.C. Liu also stated that the company is planning on implementing the integration of application systems gradually after next year. Hiwin and Avantech are both participatory investments, and electronics companies, such as Foxconn are welcome to participate.
Zhuo Yong-cai, Chairman of Hiwin, stated that robotics must be integrated with other different industries. For this reason, companies in all kinds of fields are getting involved. The process will become more open because new companies will need to have the capacity for application system integration.
As for robotic applications, Zhuo Yong-cai and K.C. Liu stated that it will be more difficult for Taiwan to catch-up in auto industry robotics. However, food products and electronics industry production line automation will be faster.
