Taiwan’s Machine Tool Industry Turns a Corner TMTS 2026 Points the Way to AI and Sustainable Manufac
18 | Technika & trh | special edition
Industry Turns a Corner
AI and Sustainable Manufacturing
Tariff breakthrough: Taiwanese
machines on the starting line with
competitors from Japan and the EU
A key catalyst for the recovery is the newly concluded
Taiwan–USA agreement on reciprocal tariffs. This
reduces the tariff rate on Taiwanese machine tools
exported to the United States to 15%, while the new
rate is not cumulative with existing MFN (Most
Favored Nation) tariffs. For the rst time in history,
Taiwanese products are thus on the same starting
line as competitors from Japan, South Korea, and the
European Union.
TMBA Chairman Patrick Chen welcomed the
agreement as a major opportunity for industry
transformation:
“This is not just a numerical reduction – it is a ticket
to a new global competitive arena.”
He emphasized that savings generated from lower
tariffs will be reinvested directly into research,
development, and the digital transformation of
manufacturing processes. In this context, Taiwan
has effectively gained the status of a most-favored
allied supplier among major countries with trade
surpluses vis-à-vis the United States.
in a new venue
The Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS
2026) will take place from March 25–28, 2026, at
the new Taichung International Convention and
Exhibition Center (TICEC). This marks the rst-ever
relocation of TMTS to this modern venue, enabling
organizers to signicantly expand the event’s
capacity. The exhibition will feature more than
1,800 booths from 400 exhibitors, with over 70,000
professional visitors and buyers expected from
around the world.
Interest from companies has exceeded all
expectations: exhibitor registration is fully booked,
with more than 100 companies on the waiting list.
The theme of the show is “AI-Powered, Sustainable
Manufacturing”, highlighting the integration of
articial intelligence with sustainable production.
Organizers are primarily targeting contracts in
growing sectors such as semiconductors, defense,
and aerospace.