The 20th Hiwin Thesis Award was held on March 23, with National Central University winning the Gold, Bronze, and Honorable Mention prizes, making it the biggest winner. A total of 90 theses competed nationwide, and after a rigorous review, 13 were awarded. Since 2004, Hiwin Technologies has invested over NT$10 million annually to promote precision machinery research and arranged visits for winners to Japan’s major exhibitions and leading manufacturers to broaden global perspectives. Known as the “Nobel Prize of the mechanical industry,” the award continues to inspire academia and industry innovation.

The smart machinery industry faces talent shortages caused by declining birth rates and an aging population. To address this, the government integrates resources from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Labor through an inter-ministerial platform. Key measures include industry-academia collaboration, recruiting overseas students, attracting foreign professionals, and implementing migrant worker retention programs. These initiatives aim to develop skills aligned with market needs, enhance industrial competitiveness, and accelerate internationalization, laying a solid foundation for long-term growth.

Taichung hosted the “Net-Zero New Economy Summit,” where Mayor Lu Hsiu-Yen promoted the city’s three-step net-zero strategy and set a 2050 carbon neutrality roadmap, including six major goals such as clean energy, industrial innovation, and full electrification of public transport, aiming for a 30% emissions reduction by 2030. Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-Hsin emphasized building a smart, low-carbon city with 45 new measures to advance ESG sustainability. TMBA Chairman Chen Po-Chia urged manufacturers to cut emissions, adopt green energy, and complete carbon footprint audits and PCR standards to tackle upcoming carbon taxes in Europe and the U.S.

elimi’s Spring Gathering featured a visit to Tiangong Precision Machinery, where Executive VP Huang Peici shared how the company overcame crises while upholding its “Three More, Three Solid” culture. Since 2018, Tiangong has set annual business themes, with 2024 focusing on “Start with Thinking, Befriend Technology, End with Customers.” Goals include winning a sustainability award in 2025 and achieving 100% green electricity by 2030. Chairman Huang emphasized challenges as growth fuel and prioritizes employee welfare and well-being. The event also invited Sophie from Taiwan Ocean Sailing School to encourage women to embrace sailing, learn skills, explore themselves, and realize their future.

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.