We are honored to participate in the Energy-Saving Label Evaluation and Award Ceremony for Machine Tools, where the certification plaques were personally presented by Director General Yang of the Industrial Development Bureau. Hartford was represented by Executive Director Mr. Chen to accept this recognition and honor on behalf of the company!

List of Awarded Labels:

• First Gold Label: HSA-320 NEO
• First Silver Label: LG-1000 NEO
• Second Silver Label: 5A-65E
• Second Silver Label: MVP-11 Dynamic

On January 10, the Taiwan Machine Tool & Components Industry Association held the "Energy-Saving Label Award Ceremony for the Machine Tool Industry and Cross-Industry Process Application Exchange Forum." Gold and Silver energy-saving labels were awarded to companies such as Hiwin Technologies, Taichung Machinery, Yeong Chin, Fair Friend, Taiwan Liwei, Victor Taichung, Buffalo Machinery, Accuway, AWEA, Wele, Taiwan Enhui, Hartford, Cheng Hong, Takizawa Taiwan, Tongtai, Chin Fong, and others from the machine tool and components industries. The association has also urged the government to include products with Gold and Silver energy-saving labels into the government’s equipment replacement subsidy program to jointly build a cross-industry green ecosystem.

At the same event, guests included Director General Yang Chih-Ching of the Industrial Development Bureau, former Minister of Economic Affairs and current Independent Director of Taishin Financial Holding, Wang Mei-Hua, Chairman Lai Yung-Hsiang of the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, Executive Deputy General Manager and Acting General Manager Lee Chien-Hsun of the Precision Machinery Research & Development Center, and National Chairman of the Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robotics Association, Sze Kuo-I.

The association noted that the first "Energy-Saving Label Evaluation for the Machine Tool Industry," held at the end of 2023, received enthusiastic feedback from its members. In November 2024, the association plans to expand the second round of evaluations, continuing to advocate to government bodies, state-owned enterprises, universities, and public procurement departments to adopt certified energy-saving products for replacing old equipment. This initiative aims to contribute to Taiwan's energy conservation, carbon reduction, and the national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

In his speech, Chairman Chen Bo-Jia emphasized that the association has established an "E Committee" to comprehensively promote a green supply chain for machine tools. This includes offering various carbon reduction-related courses, training employees as green transformation leaders, and implementing six product category rules (PCR) since 2023. The association has actively aligned with international organizations to enhance the visibility of Taiwan’s green industrial transformation.

Chen also pointed out that 4–5 years ago, the machine tool industry foresaw challenges such as rapid market changes, manufacturing reshuffling, and environmental/resource issues. Additionally, the industry faced internal challenges, including stagnating labor productivity growth, labor shortages, and the need for operational model transformations. To address these, the industry has worked to upgrade current products and scale up its operations for survival, whether in core factories or component manufacturers.

He further explained that opportunities for the machine tool industry lie in meeting evolving industrial needs by establishing standards and promoting digital and green transformations. The association conducted the first and second evaluations for energy-saving labels based on international standards such as PCR and ISO.

According to Chen, Taiwan's machine tool production fell to 150,000 units in 2023, with 60–70% of the output exported and 30–40% sold domestically. The domestic market adds over 60,000 energy-saving machine tools annually, improving energy efficiency by at least 30%. These products save 345.6 million kilowatt-hours per year, reducing emissions by 170,700 metric tons—the equivalent of the carbon absorption of 420 Daan Forest Parks. The association urged the government to include products with Gold and Silver energy-saving labels under the subsidy programs for replacing outdated equipment.

Looking ahead, Chen projected that more than 90,000 energy-saving machine tools will be exported annually by 2025. This would reduce EU carbon tariffs, boost green competitiveness, and enable integration into global green supply chains. The association envisions creating cross-industry ecosystems, solution ecosystems, core value ecosystems, and carbon management platforms.

Director General Yang Chih-Ching stated that the government is committed to supporting the machine tool industry by integrating AI applications to accelerate the transition to smart and low-carbon manufacturing. He also emphasized fostering the development of domestically produced controllers and leading machine tool manufacturers into end-market applications such as semiconductor processes.

Yang added that the Executive Yuan approved a plan on November 7, 2024, to allocate NT$11.6 billion in 2025 under the "SME Diversified Revitalization and Development Plan." This initiative is guided by three key strategies: digital transformation, net-zero transition, and market channel development. It aims to improve employee wages and implement policies of inclusive growth.

To promote high-quality, energy-saving machine tools, the association invited organizations such as the Precision Machinery R&D Center, the China Productivity Center, and the Taiwan SME Counseling Foundation to explain relevant plans for 2025. These include the "Smart Machinery (Including Machine Tools) Domestic Controller Application and International Supply Chain Sales Thematic R&D Plan" and the "Industrial Alliance and Individual Case Subsidy Program for Enhancing Industrial Competitiveness in Overseas Markets." The goal is to leverage government resources to foster innovation and expand the adoption of intelligent energy-saving equipment while mitigating geopolitical and ECFA-related challenges.

The association emphasized its plans for 2025, including continuing its green transformation efforts and establishing a carbon management platform. These initiatives will leverage digital tools to drive the development of cross-industry ecosystems, including carbon coefficient databases, carbon footprint modules, and export inventory modules. These platforms will ensure compliance with domestic and international regulations, calculate carbon taxes and fees, and help member manufacturers solve carbon management issues pragmatically.

Hartford remains committed to providing high-performance, energy-efficient machine tools, embedding sustainable development principles into its manufacturing processes, and giving back to society and the environment through tangible actions. These achievements stand as the best testimony to our unwavering efforts!