Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS)

  Last updated on 14 June, 2001      

FACS Newsletter 1/2001

Introduction of Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan
     

Industrial Technology Research Institute, ITRI, was established in 1973 to accelerate industrial technology development. Its accomplishments include establishing high-tech industries, applying various technologies to those industries, improving industrial structures, advancing Taiwan's international market competitiveness, promoting environmental protection, and enhancing the quality of life. The total employees has exceeded 6,000 (Fig 1) with an annual budget of over 500 million US dollars (Fig 2) in 1999. Besides meeting industry's needs and carrying out industry-oriented projects, ITRI has dedicated itself to strengthening its capacity for forward-looking technological research and development to give industry even greater technology advantages. There were 537 patents (Fig 3) and 355 technologies transferred to 538 local industries (Fig 4) in 1999 alone. ITRI has always intended to be a leading source of industrial development and a world-class industrial technology research institute.

The Headquarter of ITRI in Hsinchu.

Development Strategy 

ITRI's development strategy depends on the present growth environment and the industrial development potential of the future. It is also attuned to international trends, emphasizes environmental protection and safety issues, as well as preservation of natural resources. ITRI constantly reviews and revises its task loadings in timely fashion in order to remain forward-looking, viable and effective. 

Emphasizing forward-looking, innovative technology and research
In carrying out Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) science and technology projects, ITRI constantly updates its focus on forward-looking, innovative technology research and development, and sets new goals for promoting advanced technologies. In contrast to the case of fundamental scientific research, our major purpose is the creation of maximum benefits for industry in a five-to-ten-year time frame.

Reinforcing industrial services
ITRI cooperates with industrial sectors, emphasizes technological services and promotes better service quality. In addition to assisting industrial sectors in soliciting investments based on technological innovations, and obtaining more sophisticated technologies, ITRI also extends its technological technologies research services to industry in an open and equitable manner.

Promoting internationalization
ITRI will utilize the best available international technological resources and cooperate with foreign companies to enhance its research and development capacities, and to benefit the industrial development.

Developing ITRI's Southern Branch
In order to comply with the government's policy of transferring certain technological research and service capacities to southern Taiwan and to help balance local industrial development, ITRI will expedite its technology diffusion by continuing its southward expansion, thus establishing new high-tech potentials.

Setting up the Open Laboratory
ITRI will offer this research facility to entrepreneurs to enable them to start technological research, joint development, and new businesses, thereby accelerating high-tech industrial development.

Facilitating organizational communication
In accordance with its belief in information exchanges and resource sharing, ITRI will provide a flexible communication structure for both internal and external IT management. ITRI fully supports openness and simplicity in organizational operations in our pursuit of efficiency and excellence.

ORGANIZATION 

There are currently 11 centers/laboratories in the organization as listed below:

Impact on Industrial Development

Over the past 26 years, Taiwan's industrial technology has advanced significantly along with the economical growth. ITRI historical impact on four areas of Taiwan's industrial development is described in the following subsections.

Developing New Industrial Technologies
ITRI strives not only to develop and transfer technologies to satisfy current needs, but also to promote high technology industries. Over the years, we have compiled an extensive track record, as outlined below. 

Semiconductor Industry
Following the transfer of 7-micron CMOS IC processing and design technology from RCA, ITRI helped to establish the foundations of Taiwan's semiconductor industry. Fueled by continuous technology transfers, spin-off IC companies such as UMC, TSMC, TMC and VISC attracted over US$ 3.6 billion in investments in IC wafer manufacturing. Numerous IC design and testing companies were also established. With a complete semiconductor industry capacity, Taiwan has become the world's fourth-largest IC supplier. In 1998, ROC semiconductor production value totaled US$8.6 billion, reflecting a 14.3% growth even though worldwide IC production declined by 8.75%.

Flat-panel Display Industry
Thanks to the many breakthroughs in various flat-panel display technologies achieved by the FPD Project, Taiwan's FPD technology has reached the world-class level. These technologies have been transferred to local display makers. 7 TFT LCD makers and 4 color filter makers were established during the past two years with investments of some US$ 3 billion. The flat-panel display industry appears set to emulate the semiconductor industry in creating an economic boom.

Information Industry
ITRI started development of a basic input-output system (BIOS) for IBM-compatible PCs in the early 1980s. Through technology transfers, a few local PC companies soon developed products and launched them successfully in the U.S. market. ITRI then proceeded with development of x86 PCs and provided strong, technology support for the rapidly growing PC industry. In 1998, Taiwan became the rapidly growing PC industry. In 1998, Taiwan became the world's third-largest producer of information industry products, with a total output value of US$ 359.73 billion. Taiwan also became the world number-one producer of note-book PCs, scanners, mouses, ….and so on.

Communication Industry
ITRI has contributed to the development and growth of the domestic communications industry. Over the years it has transferred technologies including ISDN customer premises equipment, LANs, wireless LANs, digital loop carries, asymmetric digital subscriber lines, and digital enhanced cordless telephones to the industry.

Optoelectronics Industry
ITRI helped Taiwan's optoelectronics industry establish infrastructures for producing optical disk drives, fax machines, printers and LEDs. Optoelectronics industry revenues grew from US$ 1 billion in 1990 to US$ 6 billion in 1998.OES/ITRI, a principal member of the international DVD Forum and also a Steering Committee member, has been assisting local DVD industries in establishing roots by organizing DVD Club and setting up a "Class A" DVD Verification Laboratory. Advanced technologies have been transferred to or developed jointly with 75% of the local DVD manufacturers.

Electronic Materials
ITRI devoted relevant electronic key-material research to helping local industry acquire high-density, high-capacity CD processing technologies. In 1994, ITRI began developing CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RAM manufacturing and die-processing technologies. This has attracted investments totaling US$700 million, and led to annual industry production valued at US$ 900 million.

Promoting Traditional Industries
The dramatic changes in Taiwan's economic environment over the past twenty years have subjected traditional industries to relentless pressure. ITRI's help has come in several forms: technology transfers, increasing added-values of products, improving work environments, and enhancing production efficiency. Many traditional industry sectors have thus regained their competitive advantages and resumed vigorous growth.

Automotive Industry
ITRI completed the development of a common engine, which is the first domestically developed engine in Taiwan's automotive industry. The engine has a displacement of 1,200cc and can be made with eight or sixteen valves. The technology was transferred to a local company, which invested US$49 million and began production of the engine in 1998. At present, seventy local manufacturers are involved in the development and production of 135 engine parts, which will realize savings of 30% over the cost of comparable imports.

Production Automation
In the past, foreign companies dominated the market for industrial controllers used in Taiwan. ITRI developed a series of domestically made industrial controllers, which have become indispensable to domestic-industry automation. ITRI also promoted and alliance between the PC-based industries and spurred local manufacturers to invest US$23 million in the controller industry over the past three years. The technology for developing key industrial controller, servo motor, and driver components has been transferred to more than 20 companies.

Precision Machinery
ITRI helped advance Taiwan's machine tool industry to the level of process-intensive precision production, assisting local manufactures outgrowing the conventional tool production. More than 50 new machine tool models have been developed. ITRI also helped create new opportunities for Taiwan semiconductor firms by developing die bonders, wire bonders, and inspection devices.

Textile Industry
Product and technology developments within the textile industry include novel synthetic fibers, high-performance fibers, successful completion of critical products and processes for the automation of high-speed spinning processes, fire retardant fibers, microfibers, spinning oil and nonwovens fabrics. These technologies have been transferred to fifty private-sector firms. The textile industry has indirectly invested US$ 1 billion to establish an industrial park for synthetic fibers and textured yarns.

Bicycle Industry
The development of carbon fiber composite material technology has assisted local sporting goods industries in developing high-quality, lightweight, high-strength flexible sporting goods. For example, carbon fiber material and product development technologies have resulted in an increase in added value of a bicycle from US$200 to US$ 3,000. Highly regarded vibration absorbing bicycles made in Taiwan account for 50% of the world's production volume. ITRI also developed transmission gear and derailleurs and increased local industry opportunities.

Aerospace Industry
ITRI has developed important aviation components including avionics gear, in-flight entertainment equipment, aircraft structural and engine parts, and assisted domestic companies in entering the aviation industry by providing aviation part inspection services. As a result, 14 domestic companies obtained quality certification from some leading international companies. CAST/ITRI has developed a 16G seat and transferred it to a company which became the fourth company in the world to own such technology that satisfies U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements.

Advancing Societal Well-being
Over the years, ITRI has built a fairly extensive track record of technical achievements in environmental protection as well as medical devices and instruments.

Pharmaceuticals
ITRI has developed efficient manufacturing processes for a series of important bulk pharmaceutical chemicals, such as the Cephalosporin series, Hypolipidemics, Dilitiazem, and Taxal, among others. Some of these key technologies have been transferred to 67 private-sector companies, attracting accumulated investments of US$ 88 million over the past 9 years.

Medical Devices & Instruments
ITRI is continually making efforts to develop medical-device and instrument technologies. Our accomplishments include physiological and biochemical monitoring system, ultrasound physiotherapy units, ultrasound B-scan imaging system, titanium hip-joint prostheses, to name just a few.

Waste Water Treatment
ITRI developed a new up-stream anaerobic sludge bed (modified UASB) waste water treatment technology. Compared with the conventional activated-sludge method, the new technology saves 30-60% in land and capital costs. This modified UASB technology has been transferred to 8 environmental engineering companies, and has been applied in the petrochemical engineering, fermentation, tape, and plastic additives, industries. It hasdrawn an increase of US$ 18 million in investments over the past 10 yeares, and yielded some US$30 million in profits each year.

Industrial Safety
CISH/ITRI develops advanced technologies to upgrade the safety and health performance of domestic entrepreneurs so as to sustain their economic prosperity. Particular examples of such technologies include process safety management, fire and explosion prevention designs and databases, hazardous gas control, and smoke control for clean rooms. Those technologies have been provided to 55 companies.

Cultivating High-tech Human Resources Recruiting Specialists
During the past 6 years domestic and overseas specialists joining ITRI's workforce included 848 with Ph.D. degrees and 2,274 with Master's degrees.

Personnel Dissemination
Since the establihment of ITRI in 1973, well over 13,000 employees have left ITRI. Most(76%) joined private industries, especially the IC sector. Many have been high-level decision-makers and senior managers, whose influences contributing greatly to Taiwan's industrial growth.

Professional Training Services
Every year ITRI offers over 1,000 professional training services, such as lectures, workshops, seminars and symposia, as well as customized contract training courses for government and industry personnel.

Public Relations Department ITRI　

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