Taipei 101, Taiwan's iconic skyscraper, is undoubtedly significant to Jack Chao, president of Chin Fong Machine Industrial. The company has supplied 80 per cent of the machinery used in Taiwan's liquid crystal display (LCD) screen manufacturing industry. The sheer volume would reach twice the height of Taipei 101 if the press machines were horizontally stacked up together.

From an undulating port terminal for giant cruise ships to a convention centre large enough to exhibit a big yacht, the fluid and unconventional architecture of Asia's New Bay Area in Kaohsiung mirrors Taiwan's renewed take on the economy. It is an approach that is open and aggressive.

Power conversion expert Bull Will is charging its own transformation from a component trading company into an all-in-one design, manufacturing and service provider. The company is keen on continuing its recent evolution by widening its product portfolio and boosting its production capacity.

Looking good is synonymous with doing good for Epopack, a cosmetics packaging manufacturer with a passion for developing stylish yet earth-friendly options. Epopack's efforts are in line with the mainland's 12th five-year plan, which encourages green packaging for consumer goods. Coupled with the government's focus on importing superior packaging equipment and materials, the mainland's packaging industry is forecast to grow annually by 6 per cent until 2015.

As the world's manufacturing hub for industrial electronics, Asia will require more flash memory products in the next four years. Industries such as vehicle, mobile phone and consumer electronics are steadily moving towards serial flash technology. Staying ahead of these market trends, leading Taiwanese flash memory specialist Eon Silicon Solution is boosting serial flash production.

When a group of young specialist engineers back in 1999 needed funding for their cutting-edge projects, Crystal Applied Technology (CAT) was approached by the Taiwanese government to provide support. The fulfilment of the engineers' dreams illuminated the road to success for what later became Taiwan's leading manufacturer of optical electronics products. Shifting its focus to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in 2003, CAT quickly established itself as an upstream company. These timely decisions paved the way for CAT's rapid growth and propelled it as an integral part of Taiwan's economy.

Chung Hua University (CHU) believes in the transformative power of education to provide a solid foundation for the future of young people in Asia. Through comprehensive educational programmes, CHU opens many opportunities for students to secure jobs that can boost economic development in Taiwan.

Taiwan PLUS Corporation breathes new life into the local stationery industry, revitalising the market with its innovative take on office and school supplies. Honouring its Japanese heritage, Taiwan PLUS marries function and style in creating products that deliver a delightful user experience.

Recognised as the leading credit-checking agency in Taiwan, backed by more than 50 years of experience, China Credit Information Service (CCIS) is a one-stop information source offering a full suite of services. It provides background checks, consumer behaviour study, commercial credit reports, asset appraisal, product trending and market analysis. It also offers advisory services for mergers and acquisitions throughout Taiwan and the mainland.

Showcasing its range of high-quality microphones and amplifiers, Taiwan-based Chiayo Electronics is ready to be heard in the global electronics arena. A leading designer and manufacturer of professional wireless microphone and portable sound systems, Chiayo is backed by more than four decades of development and has gained the confidence of customers worldwide.

Much like how its products fuse components together to make functional, reliable products that are built to last, solder materials specialist Shenmao Group has been instrumental in building and holding together various industries - from automotive to consumer electronics.

Cartoonist David Horsey earlier this year created an image of an anxious Uncle Sam asking a fortune teller, "Can you tell me about my future?" She responds: "Hmm ... I would, but I can't read Chinese."

Rising production costs, coupled with stringent environmental regulations, are changing the textile manufacturing environment in China. Industry players are focusing more on producing strong, innovative and functional textile designs that are compliant with environmental standards. Leading the cutting-edge fabric manufacturing pack, Honmyue Enterprise is expanding its operations to serve manufacturers in Asia and worldwide.

Home to many manufacturing and packaging facilities, China is one of the largest glass markets in the world and a major trend driver in the industry. Rising to the challenge of meeting the demands of this dynamic market, Ta Hsiang Containers explores new techniques to develop next-generation glass applications.

Taiwan's recent regulatory easing allows mainland investors to benefit from partnerships with local financial institutions. With diverse cross-strait trade expanding throughout China, Taiwan Business Bank (TBB) has positioned itself closer to growing businesses on the mainland, offering custom-made financial services targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In August, TBB opened its first mainland branch in Shanghai, with another branch expected to open in Quanzhou.

Connectec Japan is ushering in a new era of semiconductor assembly with packaging technology that can enable next-generation gadgetry. Developed over five years of intense engineering, Connectec's Monster PAC-typeC delivers the high-performance, low-cost combination that the industry has been looking for.

Like the human eye, the patented Video Fire Detection System (VFDS) from global security solutions provider GKB Security accurately recognises fire and smoke images. In 20 seconds, the equipment can sound the alarm, indicate the fire's location and send text messages to concerned parties. Able to support up to 128 closed-circuit TV cameras, VFDS beats traditional fire detectors, which work in five minutes and only in closed spaces.

Process equipment manufacturers have seen a spike in demand amid buoyant sales of terminals for smartphones, tablet computers and other gadgets. Exploring fresh opportunities, ECLAT Forever Machinery expands its product lines and continuously develops its research and development (R&D) portfolio in tune with quickly evolving markets.

Projected to be worth US$19.6 billion this year, the competitive global market for textile chemicals is estimated to expand to US$23.4 billion by 2018. Coupled with this whopping growth is the rising demand for environment-friendly dyes. With products that respond to market demands and environmental requirements, Zenith Color Chemical is best-placed to tackle these challenges.

Flatbed scanners and multifunctional printers use one of the most intricate optical imaging systems. Red, green and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) turn on in sequence for illumination, while a rod lens comprised of an array of 320 micro-lenslets transposes images onto a bed of sensors. Collectively known as contact image sensor (CIS) modules, the whole optical system is an area of expertise that Pixon Technologies is renowned for worldwide. With patented technologies, the company is the leading designer and manufacturer of customised CIS modules for global electronic majors.

Evolution is crucial to surviving changing business climates. After more than 30 years of providing reliable service to state industries in Taiwan's power sector, Yung-Fu is ready to expand its services into environmental protection.

The RJ45, the port in computing and networking devices for internet and local area network connections, has come a long way since this type of modular technology was developed. UDE, the world's largest supplier of RJ45 integrated receptacles and other integrated connector modules (ICMs), offers more than discrete connection solutions to the computing and networking industries.

Boasting high-performance custom designs and state-of-the-art technologies, Weltrend Semiconductor stays at the forefront of trends. Being one of the leading integrated circuit (IC) design companies in Taiwan, its diversified portfolio includes the consumer, computer, industrial, health care, green energy and vehicle industries.

The crowded market, persistent low-interest environment and the lukewarm demand for protection products put many life insurance companies in Taiwan under pressure. As companies encounter challenges, RGA Global Reinsurance's Taiwan branch is steadfast in ensuring its clients' continuous success.

Technological advancement has accelerated close to the speed of sound to keep up with the increasing expectations of the market.

Taking a new name to mark a new milestone, United States-based silicon wafer technologies pioneer MEMC Electronic Materials is now SunEdison - an elite, global brand backed by 54 years of expertise in the semiconductor and solar energy industries.

In the face of global competition, Kung Long Batteries Industrial is staying ahead of the game by serving as a strategic partner to its customers, not just as another power supplier. Taiwan's professional lead-acid battery manufacturer has established a "customer-first" culture within its organisation and has instilled quality consciousness among its employees. Kung Long has also gained widespread recognition for its proactive approach in dealing with clients.