Taiwan’s three science parks posted record first-half 2013 aggregate revenues of NT$1.63 trillion (US$ 54.3 billion), up 17 percent year on year, according to the latest report released Aug. 28 by the National Science Council.
Hsinchu Science Park in northern Taiwan led the way with NT$554.9 billion, up 14.4 percent year on year; Southern Taiwan Science Park in Tainan City came second with NT$296.5 billion, 4.1 percent higher than the year before; followed by Taichung City-based Central Taiwan Science Park with NT$211.7 billion, up 52.4 percent.
Semiconductors, optoelectronics, and computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing remained the facilities’ three core sectors, with each posting double-digit growth.
The bullish performance was also illustrated by record exports from the three science parks, up 18.8 percent year on year to NT$689 billion.
Hsinchu Science Park exported NT$363.7 billion, up 18.5 percent; Central Taiwan Science Park, NT$111.6 billion, up 13.3 percent; and Southern Taiwan Science Park, NT$213.7 billion, up 22.2 percent. Hong Kong and mainland China were the largest export destinations.
As a result of increased business activity and a series of job promotion initiatives implemented by park administrations, the three facilities reported a record high workforce of 249,071, up 4,151 from December, 2012.
The report also included five innovation indicators aimed at boosting operation performance and competitiveness of companies in the science parks. These are the percentage of new ventures among recently set up companies; new ventures assisted by the parks’ business incubator services; R&D personnel among total employees; R&D budget of total revenues; and numbers of U.S. patents obtained by science park companies.
Looking to the second half, the report forecast the three science parks to outperform on the back of a surging global semiconductor market, improving economic climate in Europe and the U.S., and increasing electronic product demand stemming from approaching seasonal shopping in Western countries and mainland China. (RC-JSM)
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