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The Quality and Quantity of TIGAX-04

By: J.S.Chen./ TIGAX Chief Operation Officer

As TIGAX's COO, before TIGAX-04's successful run, I was asked by quite a few industry colleagues how could TIGAX-04 be worth coming to visit when the number of participating companies was down from TIGAX-02 and the total planned exhibition area was smaller by a third? I confidently told them attendance was a must because the quality if exhibits and the information they would gain in TIGAX-04 would easily make up the smaller number of exhibitors. TIGAX-04 was a classic case of quality instead of quantity—and it wasn’t to be missed! I then shared some information that supported my statement.

Items of equipment imported for the Exhibition: Equipment items brought in by exhibitors were almost 100% identical to those shown at DRUPA04 just three months earlier. These included all the newest R&D products from leading printing and graphic art companies in Europe, North America, and Japan. Many were related to the latest developments of the International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) initiative, and the standardizing of the key Job Definition Format (JDF) specifications critical for the future of graphic communications. They involved digital production information flow control, application, follow up, management and analysis. Historically, 2004 was the first TIGAX that featured hardware equipment and well-integrated software systems on joint display and showing how both could improve operations and maximize profits for users.

*Large well-known companies like Japan’s Mitsubishi and Akiyama were on hand to demonstrate the power and benefits of their newest equipment and their control systems.
*Dai Nippon Screen showed its new concept True Press 344.
*Riso gave out many samples produced by its latest inkjet printer, which was capable of outputting 102 full-color sheets per minute at low costs.
*ECRM Imaging Systems presented various competitively priced Mako models featuring a simple to use Computer-to-Plate (CtP) system for very large format (VLF) jobs up to 45” x 32.4” (1143 mm x 824 mm).

Equipment exhibited at TIGAX-04 for prepress and graphic management totaled US$11.2 million, surpassing the value of equipment shown at TIGAX-02 by almost 10-percent.


Exhibition items made in Taiwan: The value of Taiwan-made machinery items exhibited at TIGAX-04 exceeded US$14 million—more than double the value of the US$6.9 million worth of equipment shown at TIGAX-02. The percentage of printing equipment on display rose from 33% to 45% of the total, indicating a big advance in this field for Taiwan’s manufacturers. Locally-made postpress equipment on exhibit, such as laminators, hole punchers, computer controlled paper cutters, and binders, were also increasingly seen as being very efficient and of excellent quality—their overall value was 34% more than TIGAX-02.

Considering that the total value of good manufactured in Taiwan has gone down in US-dollar value by 25%–30% compared to five or six years ago—despite increases in production quantity—makes it clear that there will be further shake-outs in the domestic printing and graphic arts industries in the years immediately ahead. Like many other manufacturing fields, those who survive and become even more successful will have to make very wise decisions pertaining to new directions and needed equipment in light of worldwide trends.

TIGAX-04 provided its attendees with the knowledge they needed to make the right choices for the future of their businesses. The fact that the number of exhibitors at TIGAX-04 was off historic highs was understandable in light of the competitive nature of our industries, which tend to leave the best standing. The other fact, that the value of all goods shown at TIGAX-04 rose to US$37.8 million (US$25.5 million for TIGAX-02) indicates that better quality equipment is being produced—which, in turn, is a part of a very positive global trend for the future.