With the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has deeply realized the importance of intelligent and automated production, which can continue operating despite unexpected factors that may prevent human workers from going to the factory. It has also highlighted the need for the industry to accelerate its transformation towards smart factories, aided by technologies such as AI, AIoT, cloud computing, and big data.
Hi-More Robot, located in Taoyuan's Dayuan District, has been leading the injection molding industry towards intelligent automation manufacturing for over 30 years with its self-created brand of robotic arms. Vic Chen, the deputy general manager of the sales department and second-generation successor of the company, stated in an interview that the most pressing task is to build an intelligent and automated production environment for the industry, with the ultimate goal of leading all customers towards lights-out factories.
Vic Chen, who holds a master's degree in business administration from Chung Yuan Christian University, said that "working together with customers is the key to achieving a win-win situation." He pointed out that in the digital age, things and phenomena that used to take 20 or 30 years to change can now be overhauled in just 5 to 10 years. For the past 20 years, Hi-More Robot mainly focused on OEM manufacturing, but in the last 10 years, the company has shifted towards ODM and OBM, developing its own brand. Currently, the company plans to leverage its accumulated 30 years of experience to help injection molding businesses transition to the field of intelligent automation. Vic emphasized that in this era of advanced digital networks, there are no secrets, and any know-how can be easily obtained from the internet. Therefore, the company is currently working on constructing an online interactive platform, where product designs, parts, and solutions can be uploaded to the cloud for customers and other interested parties to browse and utilize. As for the concern that the company's confidential information might be leaked through the cloud, Vic cited Tesla, the first company in the industry to upload its data to the cloud, as an example. He said that transparent information not only appeals to consumers but also attracts industry peers to learn and observe. Empathy also drives him to accelerate the deployment and implementation of cloud-based big data platforms. He added that after the pandemic, the company plans to work with capable personnel to restart its layout strategy in Vietnam, as flights between Taiwan and Vietnam will resume on July 1. Currently, the company already has a base in Singapore for development and service, and it will continue to cultivate the vast Southeast Asian market.
Business Report/By Fu Bingxiang, June 18, 2020
Vic Chen, Executive Vice President of Hi-More, expressed his gratitude to his father for laying the foundation of the company and vowed to work hard to pass it on to the third generation. (Photo/Fu Bingxiang)
