Taipei, May 26, 2011 (CENS)--Taiwan`s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has been promised by Hiwin Technologies Corp., Taiwan`s largest manufacturer of linear-motion devices, to supply key components to domestic machine-tool firms who are battling material shortages.

Despite influx of orders, domestic machine-tool firms face shortage of key components as ball screws and linear guideways. With the promise from Hiwin, the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the MOEA will cooperate with the Precision Machinery Research and Development Center to negotiate with leading machine-tool manufacturers, including Fair Friend Group, Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co., and Yeong Chin Machinery Industries Co. to overcome part shortages.

Victor Taichung vice president Hsu Wen-chih said domestic machine-tool manufacturers have been short of key components since the latter part of last year, exasperated by receipt of orders throughout September to November, as well as interrupted supply of CNC devices from Fanuc Corp. in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

Fair Friend chairman Jimmy Chu noted he has asked the MOEA to negotiate with Hiwin for priority supply of key components to domestic machine-tool manufacturers. But Hiwin is also battling with the supply of specialty steel from China Steel Corp. (CSC), Taiwan`s largest integrated producer of steel products, who said it can increase such supply by July at the earliest.