PROTH Industrial: Adventures in the machine trade

Looking ahead to its 30th anniversary in 2010 Taiwan's PROTH, under youthful management and its CEO, market explorer "extraordinaire," Justin Chang, is busy laying down the blueprints for future growth and activity in new areas of technology while remaining true to its core business of high-end surface grinding machines. For PROTH this is no "tight rope-walking act." It is one that Chang with his tightly knit team of engineers, marketing specialists and administration, had been quietly and confidently planning even while all market indicators began pointing to an economic "doomsville." A skilled negotiator, a sharp business strategist and thinker with a sense of humor and a strong determination to succeed, Chang took time off in a crowded schedule that includes frequent jaunts to Shanghai - now made easier by direct flights between China and Taiwan - to talk with International Metalworking News for Asia. Monson: How has the company's expertise influenced the machine tools industry? Chang: For PROTH this is a time to look back and most especially forward. We're going to celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2010. We're looking back to the efforts and vision of our founder, my Father, the late Chong-Ming Chang. Apart from being my hero and inspiration he had a contagious passion for machinery and was a master of his trade. You could say we're following his star and looking ahead with the kind of confidence that is based on the know-how, engineering, management and marketing skills honed during the past three decades. We're been designing, developing, and manufacturing a comprehensive range of surface grinders, from conventional types to CNC, since the company was founded in 1980. "Simple is the best." That's our motto. Hence our Chinese name, which means "customers come first with quality assurance as the main consideration." I know that sounds like a bit of a platitude but I can tell you sincerely, that for PROTH this is no idle boast. We really do care about our customers' needs and user-friendly design and usage. The simplest design contributes to optimizing excellent grinding performance. PROTH surface grinders are SIMPLE and SMART as our customers around the world already know. Monson: What steps are you taking then, from a management point of view to stay competitive and progressive? Chang: In tough times every company is trying their best to stay competitive. But lowering the price is not the only or final solution. We're thought a lot about the current economic downturn and some of the problems facing the industry and indeed our own role in it. It is no boast to say that we're been preparing for times like this by constantly upgrading our technical features and efficiency and continuing to reinforce our R&D capabilities, marketing strategies, and after-sales service. Our R&D team, as in any machine company worthy of the name, is the core unit in our company, one with a skilled complement of machinery, control system, and hydraulic system engineers, on the ball and dedicated to turning out more advanced surface grinding technology. They're constantly improving on existing models to achieve higher levels of performance. Monson: Will you keep up the public exposure? Chang: Well, quite frankly, as I hinted earlier, compared to the past few years, economic conditions are not quite so positive at the moment. But you can't just sit back, scratch your head and wait for change. It won't happen without personal and corporate motivation. That's where we're different. To my mind, speaking as someone immersed in management policy, it seems that the economy is on the way back, slowly, and we hope surely. The response from Taiwan's TIMTOS this year to our new presentation and image, more upbeat and, with our two toned machines, more colorful, has been quite overwhelming. There's been a lot of positive feedback, together with orders and factory vNike