Favite Inc. has recently been in the spotlight. Its resilience in the industry stems not only from its continuous improvement in R&D capabilities but also from its approach to customer management, which prioritizes value over cost. Additionally, its corporate culture focused on enhancing employee cohesion and open attitude towards talent development are commendable models worth learning from. Here, Vice President Minnie Wang shares her personal growth journey alongside the company.
 
The Key to Success in the Chinese Market: Continuous Improvement in R&D Capabilities
 
Favite Inc., a Taiwanese company, is renowned for successfully introducing AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) equipment for the TFT Array process in panel manufacturing. With its primary markets in Taiwan and mainland China, it has become a key AOI supplier for major panel manufacturers. What is the competitive strategy behind this success? According to Minnie Wang, continuous investment in R&D resources to enhance R&D capabilities is the most crucial approach. Additionally, strengthening good cooperation with local Taiwanese/Chinese partners is essential.
 
Minnie Wang points out that the company employs a total of 190 people, 90 of whom are professionals in the R&D department. The company invests 12-15% of its annual budget in R&D. Currently, both the R&D and factory departments are based in Taiwan, with only after-sales services provided in the Chinese market. Continuous investment in R&D ensures quality differentiation, preventing them from falling behind Chinese manufacturers and maintaining their competitive edge.
 
Minnie Wang states that the Chinese government heavily supports local equipment manufacturers, making them highly competitive after more than a decade of efforts. Based on her personal experience, she felt isolated when attending a supplier conference in mainland China last year, as there were few Taiwanese equipment suppliers left. Favite Inc., on the other hand, has maintained its industry position through continuous R&D investment, preventing it from being entirely replaced by local Chinese supply chains.
 
Moreover, enhancing relationships with local Chinese partners to provide immediate local services is vital since the market is there. Favite Inc. is a company that roots its technology in Taiwan while focusing its market on mainland China and the world.
 
AOI as Core Technology Applicable to Various Fields
 
Favite Inc.'s main products include inspection and measurement equipment for flat panel displays, next-generation new displays, semiconductors, packaging, PCBs, and IC substrates. How did the company expand from panel display inspection equipment to other fields? Minnie Wang explains that AOI is a core technology that can be applied to many areas. Although few Taiwanese companies work on Micro LED, Favite Inc. has the capability to produce such products. For example, their inspection capability can detect differences below 250 nanometers, and the measurements can be as precise as 20 nanometers. In compound semiconductors, Favite Inc. has developed SiC inspection technology, which can detect surface and deep-layer defects, improving wafer fab yields.
 
Minnie Wang says they often encourage themselves with the phrase, "Without an umbrella, one must run hard in the rain." The company values talent cultivation, even though their trained talents may join prestigious companies like TSMC, Apple, or Nvidia, or be poached by Chinese companies with high salaries. “When employees left, we handled it with gratitude,” Minnie Wang says they appreciate their past contributions and are glad that their excellent work experience and knowledge accumulated in the company allow them to develop further. These employees, though leaving, expand the company's network connections, bringing more new business opportunities to the company.
 
Corporate Culture: Emphasizing "Integrity," "Transparency," and "Sustainable Progress"
 
Favite Inc.’s corporate culture emphasizes the concepts of "integrity," "transparent communication," and "sustainable progress." According to Minnie Wang, integrity applies to both customers and employees. The company fosters a culture where employees are allowed to make mistakes, learn from them, and avoid repeating them. Only in such a positive culture of continuous improvement can both employees and the company progress and grow together.
 
Transparent communication means that all company positions are open and transparent; employees can discuss with their supervisors to find the best fit for their talents, achieving the goal of utilizing everyone's strengths. As a publicly listed company, financial information is available to employees, allowing them to understand the company's business status and thus increase revenue and reduce costs. In this way, the overall goal of "sustainable progress" can be achieved.
 
When discussing Favite Inc.'s longer-term business vision, Minnie Wang mentions their aim to use the company's machine vision and AI technology to become guardians of technological quality manufacturing. "We hope the company becomes synonymous with AOI." They aspire to evaluate whether to undertake a job not based on cost, but from the customer's value and perspective. Only by truly meeting customer needs can the enterprise develop sustainably.
 
Twenty Years of Relentless Talent Cultivation
 
AI talent training is a hot topic, and what is Favite Inc.'s view on this? Minnie Wang explains that 2020 was the company's AI year. Over nearly five years, they successfully launched purely AI-based real-time inspection AOI equipment, adopted by major industry players. However, thinking about AI started for her twenty years ago, indicating that the AI concept has been long contemplated.
 
Favite Inc. is dedicated to talent cultivation, with increasing budget allocations each year. For example, they have a cooperation program with Chung Yuan Christian University, donating practical equipment for students to use in their daily learning, connecting education with industry more quickly. In the long term, the company plans to hold campus technology competitions with corporate topics for students to try, integrating their learning subjects with industry applications.
 
Favite Inc. has spent 20 years introducing talent from academia and industry with an open attitude, nurturing and developing them into outstanding professionals, particularly in R&D. Ultimately, the strong and solid technical capabilities are the fundamental reason the company remains steadfast in the industry.