Cheng Mei Materials Technology (CMMT), a Taiwanese polarizing film maker, expects a mixed outlook for 2025 as shifting US tariffs prompt customers to front-load orders in late 2024. The first quarter, traditionally a slow season, is likely to see weaker demand due to the Lunar New Year holiday. Uncertainties surrounding tariffs will continue into the second quarter, requiring close monitoring of brand inventory levels and end-user demand.

The establishment of a subsidiary in Taiwan by British flying car company Bellwether Industries is no coincidence as Taiwan’s “low-altitude economy” takes flight. The UK-based drone startup has announced the creation of its Taiwan subsidiary, Bellwether Aerospace Manufacturing Solutions (BAMS), in Tainan. Having previously conducted successful test flights in Dubai, Bellwether is poised to advance urban applications, with Taiwan potentially becoming a pilot location for its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technologies soon.

Innolux Corporation is pushing forward with fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) technology, aiming for mass production in first-half 2025 despite previous delays. As the first quarter ends, Chairman Jim Hung offered limited reassurance, stating only that “The assurance is in my heart.”