Kaoming Strengthens Resilience in Sales and Production, Pioneering Overseas Collaborative Maintenance

Amidst the challenges of tariff barriers and geopolitical shifts over the past year, the Taiwan machine tool industry is seeing a gradual recovery in inquiries. However, this rebound comes with the test of significantly shortened lead times. Tim Chang, General Manager of Kaoming Machinery, emphasizes that in a market where global consumption remains steady but competition is fierce, Taiwanese manufacturers must strengthen their resilience—competing not just on price, but on technology and delivery speed.

Beyond implementing TPS (Lean Management) to enhance capacity, Chang—who also serves as Chairman of the Precision Machinery Development Association (CMD)—is advocating for an industry-wide acceleration toward high-value, intelligent, and green manufacturing. His vision involves building Turnkey solutions and integrated after-sales capabilities to solve client problems more effectively.

Boosting Competitiveness through Supply Chain Collaboration

As machine tool and automation manufacturers shift toward "Turnkey Solutions"—where production lines must be ready for immediatChang believes the key to industry recovery lies in "Collaborative Prosperity." He encourages companies to start with collaborative exhibitions, marketing, and shared after-sales services to reduce costs. Industry associations can play a vital role by organizing joint overseas exhibitions or Taiwan Pavilions to share costs and increase visibility. A major strategic move is the establishment of overseas joint maintenance hubs. By pooling capital and manpower to service multiple brands, Taiwanese manufacturers can overcome the traditional B2B weakness of relying solely on local agents. This shared maintenance model also allows for the collection of direct customer feedback, which is essential for optimizing equipment and offering optimized machining paths, fixtures, and tooling as part of a total Turnkey package.

Digital Integration at SIMTOS

At the SIMTOS exhibition in South Korea, Kaoming showcased its long-standing commitment to the market, where some of its large gantry machines have been in operation for 38 years. While South Korea has strong machine tool capabilities, it often lacks large-scale five-axis gantry models, creating a strategic opening for Kaoming.

However, success in this market requires high-level communication and trust. Chang points out that after-sales support is increasingly vital, especially given the strong national pride and efficiency-driven nature of South Korean clients.

Chang shared an example of dealing with tool chatter issues, where a client might defensively react: “I am using the best tools made in Korea; they work perfectly on other machines, so why do they perform poorly on your Taiwanese machine?” To overcome such hurdles, Kaoming works patiently through local agents to build trust. By focusing on the right solutions and emphasizing the importance of high rigidity and stability, clients are usually persuaded. If an agent is unfamiliar with a specific specialized process, Kaoming utilizes Digital Twin technology to simulate the differences between various tools and machining methods, providing data-driven proof that increases the acceptance of the total solution.

AI Empowerment and Decarbonization: Customized Turnkey Solutions

Regarding the AI trend, Chang observes that while industry giants have integrated AI into production scheduling, small-to-medium factories focus more on immediate practical benefits. Clients want to see AI realize its true value through tool chatter monitoring, thermal compensation, and predictive maintenance to reduce unexpected downtime.

To compete with mass-produced general-purpose machines, Kaoming is focusing on high-level customization by enhancing structural stability specifically for difficult-to-cut aerospace materials. The company utilizes Digital Twin technology to simulate machining paths, which significantly reduces trial-and-error costs and time. Furthermore, to increase service stickiness, Kaoming has implemented a "One Machine, One BOM" system combined with AI-powered maintenance manuals, ensuring high-quality and efficient support that doesn't always require the presence of senior engineers on-site.

Sustainability is also a non-negotiable priority. Kaoming is integrating energy-saving designs—such as "power-on-demand" hydraulic systems—at the initial design stage rather than as retrofits. By aligning with the green energy labels promoted by TAMI and TMBA, Kaoming ensures its products remain competitive under increasingly strict international environmental regulations.