Taiwan-based lathe maker eyes Gulf region

There is no secret for running a manufacturing business. You Ji Machine Industrial Co. Ltd believe that the most important concern is to be aware of the latest industrial information. Collect and analyse information efficiently, and transform it into appropriate products at the right time for the right people.

Since its establishment in 1977, You Ji Machine's goal is to always meet customers' applications by collaborating and exchanging information with the international manufacturers, and continuously developing and upgrading the techniques and designs in production to offer higher quality products and prompt after-sales services.

The Taiwan-based vertical turning lathe maker sees good opportunities to develop its business in the Middle East market amid the economic crisis. In an exclusive interview conducted by International Metalworking News- Middle East (IMNE), Assistant Manager Chen Shun-Chan elaborated the company's plan to penetrate the Gulf region.

IMNE: What steps are you taking in developing your Middle East market? How do you go about making You Ji brand known to customers in the gulf region?

Chen: We will use our sales reference list in UAE and participate in machine trade exhibitions in order for You Ji's brand to be recognised in the gulf region. The oil & gas industry is the key point for extending our reach in the Middle East. Our marketing plan will involve our vertical turning lathe product including our heavy duty flat bed lathe and horizontal machining centre.

IMNE: Which countries in the gulf are your biggest markets and which particular industry do you supply the most?

Chen: UAE is our biggest market in the gulf. We supply our CNC vertical turning centres to the oil field equipment industry there.

IMNE: Given that the oil and gas market is the key industrial in the Middle East, how can You Ji's machines fit to this market?

Chen: Huge and long tubes are the main requirement for oil & gas industrial, our special component and heavy duty flat bed horizontal lathe is the most requested in this industry. You Ji'sYB series (flat bead) machine is equipped with different sizes of spindle bore (6-inch, 14-inch, 20-inch, 32- inch) and machine size (3-metre, 4-metre and up to 10-metre.) including three box guide way machine base. It can provide more rigidity and more accuracy for heavy components.

"UAE is our biggest market in the gulf. We supply our CNC vertical turning centres to the oil field equipment industry there."

IMNE: Any new product offerings?

Chen: Since 2007, You Ji seeks to make new products that will surely hit the potential market. With over five years of marketing survey and research, You Ji comes out with the heavy duty vertical turning lathe (with hysteretic table system), heavy duty flat bed horizontal turning lathe, five face double column machining centre, quill type horizontal machining centre, horizontal floor type boring and milling centre.

In a bid to further promote its new products, You Ji will participate in this year's EMO show in Italy.

IMNE: You Ji is already famous on vertical turning lathe manufacturing, and now promoting its latest heavy duty vertical turning lathe, how is the two different?

Chen: You Ji sold more and more vertical turning lathes to its customers and to different industrials requesting for customised and heavy duty machine designs. In spite of the booming windmill industry, bearing manufacturers and those in the windmill component machining, demand for You Ji's VTS and VTH series machine.

Our VTS series machine design is based on the characteristics of bearings. The fixed column, applied with 90 degree head with CAPTO C6 system together provides more rigidity, higher accuracy, whicNew Balance