Taipei yesterday, showcasing Taiwan's latest nano applications and products and gearing up to attract some 10,000 visitors. "The industrialization of nanotechnology,in both Taiwan's traditional and high-tech industries, is creating new values and business opportunities," Shih Yen-Shiang, the vice minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA), said.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the sixth annual nanotechnology fair, Shih said there are more manufacturers this year than ever before at the show, displaying a variety of applications such as nano ceramics, nano light emitting diodes (LED) and nanocatalysis. The three-day fair, being held by the Taiwan Nanotechnology Industry Development Association (TANIDA), has seen record-breaking participation this year of 116 exhibitors at 200 booths, a considerable jump from last year's 67 exhibitors at 185 booths. Shih noted that the MOEA in 2005 established a certification system to standardize nano products, with the aim instituting quality safety controls for Taiwan's nano products.
"This type of certification not only protects the interests of consumers, but also helps to encourage local industries to improve their nano products," said Shih.
Shih made special mention of two local think tanks,the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), saying that they have transformed various nanotechnologies into applicable and marketable products and offered technology transfers to local manufacturers.
According to official statistics, Taiwan's manufacturers achieved nanaotechnology production value of NT$300 billion (US$9.68 billion) in the last five years, thanks to a six-year government nanotechnology program that integrates the efforts of the industry and academia. Shih said the program will continue for another six years, from 2009 to 2014.
Michael Reilly, the director of British Trade and Cultural Office, praised the program, during in his speech at the opening ceremony.
"By any standards, NT$23 billion of funding over five years is very impressive indeed," he said, referring to the budget for the national nanotechnology program.
He said this year his office brought four exhibitors from the U.K., including the National Physical Laboratory and Applied Microengineering, to seek research and business partners.
Expressing the hope that Taiwanese companies will join the UK Nano Forum to be held October 28-30 in London, Reilly said that the event will offer the participants opportunities to meet with U.K. counterparts to discuss issues in areas of health care for the modern age, clean technologies and an intelligent connected world.
According to the organizers, the Taipei fair is second in scale in Asia only to Japan's Nano Tech.
