Yang Dehua, founding chairman of the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), was born into a farming family in Taichung. He graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at National Chung Hsing University, was named an Outstanding Alumnus in the seventh cohort, and earned a master’s degree from the EMBA Leadership Program at Chung Hsing. In 1975, at the age of just 30, he founded Chengtai Machinery with an entrepreneurial spirit of innovation. Today, the group encompasses Chengtai Machinery, Awea Mechantronic, and Yih Cheon Machinery, all of which hold a significant position in the global machine tool market.

The “Elimi” Women Managers Association of the Machine Tool Guild held its year-end winter gathering in Tainan, coinciding with the city’s 400th anniversary. The event featured a cultural video on Tainan’s history and a shared reading of two books: The Blue Zone Challenge and Flying with Shackles. Editors and authors discussed healthy lifestyle practices and resilience in adversity. The group also honored former chairwoman Mei-Hua Tu with a tribute video and celebrated her birthday, reinforcing themes of positivity and unity. Through visits and exchanges, members strengthened bonds and embodied the spirit: “Individually a grain of rice, together a full ear of wheat.”

On December 5, National Chung Hsing University held a significant donation ceremony where Takizawa Technology donated seven sets of customized “Prognostic Diagnostic Teaching and Research Equipment” worth over NT$10 million to the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The equipment enhances educational resources, provides hands-on learning, and supports research on spindle bearing life and ball screw diagnostics, aligning with Industry 4.0 and green smart manufacturing. Its predictive maintenance technology improves energy efficiency, boosts productivity, optimizes resource use, and extends equipment lifespan, reducing carbon footprint. This collaboration exemplifies academia-industry partnership and Takizawa’s commitment to sustainable innovation

National Cheng Kung University’s Lean Product Development Center and the Taiwan Lean Enterprise System Association held the “Lean Forum and Raise the Bar Book Launch” in Taichung in November 2023. Lean management expert Michael Ballé shared insights from his new book, emphasizing the need for companies to shift perspectives, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and adopt the 4F review model (Find, Face, Frame, Form) instead of the traditional 4D approach. The forum also showcased how several companies improved R&D efficiency and competitiveness through lean management, offering practical references for lean transformation.

The Manufacturing & Machine Tool Indonesia 2022 convened in Jakarta, attracting over 25,000 professional buyers. As Indonesia’s economy surges following the G20 Summit, it is increasingly recognized as a major Asian power. This post-pandemic physical event featured a Taiwan delegation organized by TMBA, including HIWIN and Tong-Gong, showcasing welding robots and energy-saving solutions for the automotive and smart manufacturing sectors. The exhibition highlighted ESG commitments through waste-reduction measures. Furthermore, TAITRA utilized 360-degree digital technology and product launches to demonstrate Taiwan’s expertise in smart manufacturing and carbon-neutral transformation.

On the morning of the 6th, a massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Türkiye, causing severe casualties and damage. The Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA) has called upon its member companies to express their collective care by responding to the "Machine Tool Industry Donation for Türkiye Earthquake Relief." These efforts aim to assist the Turkish people in overcoming this crisis and rebuilding their homes, with all funds being donated to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s disaster relief account. Furthermore, TMBA Chairman Patrick Chen traveled to Türkiye in mid-February to visit the Turkish Machine Tool Businessmen's Association (TIAD). In addition to offering condolences, he discussed how Taiwanese machine tool manufacturers can provide practical assistance to local customers.

Central Europe primarily consists of eight countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, and Switzerland. With a total population exceeding 160 million, the region is dominated by Germanic and West Slavic ethnic groups, with German as the primary language. Geographically, it serves as the transportation hub of the European continent. Due to its central location, it exhibits diversity in its natural conditions and shared characteristics in politics, economy, and culture. Most Central European nations are high-income economies. While their economic levels are generally lower than Northern and Western Europe, they surpass Eastern Europe. Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein are highly developed, with Germany serving as the economic representative. Europe's industrial center of gravity is rooted in southern Germany and extends into Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. These countries not only provide OEM raw materials and components for Germany but also possess autonomous assembly and manufacturing capabilities for automotive and industrial equipment. As the automotive industry is the primary application for machine tools (accounting for approximately 45%), Central Europe is the stronghold for machine tool production and application.

As a former integral part of the Soviet economic bloc, Eastern Europe played a critical role in heavy industry, leading to a flourishing presence in the automotive and laser sectors. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the region underwent economic reforms. Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) for industrial electronics and telecommunications equipment have performed exceptionally well in producing defense, medical electronics, high-end consumer products, and cloud storage solutions. Combined with advanced IT solutions, this has attracted many major electronics manufacturers to establish bases there.