Hidden Champion Embraces Brand Power! Co-Research and Co-Creation: Building a New Industrial Ecosystem for Global Competition

Aligning with the rapid growth of the global precision manufacturing market, Walsin Lihwa Corporation, a leading Taiwanese stainless steel manufacturer, today officially launched its new brand for Cold-Finished Bar, “Steeval™.” This signifies the company’s declaration of an entry into a new era—moving from a pure material manufacturer to a provider of technical service solutions achieved through co-research and co-creation with customers. Walsin Lihwa commits to joining hands with industry partners across the supply chain to build a new industrial ecosystem and compete together on the international track.

“The Taiwanese steel industry has consistently served as the foundational material provider supporting Taiwan’s processing sector to become a global leader in screws and fasteners,” said Chiao Yu-Lon, Chairman of Walsin Lihwa. “In the face of shifting industrial focus and increasing quality demands from precision manufacturing, we are transforming from simply supplying stainless steel materials to becoming a comprehensive solutions provider. Walsin Lihwa’s mission is to drive the upgrade of Taiwan’s manufacturing ecosystem through overall improvements in products, manufacturing processes, and services. We are turning a ‘hidden champion’ into a visible, trusted partner capable of co-creating value.”

Global Market Share Leader and Cross-Domain Smart Manufacturing Advantages Drive Steeval™ into Value-Oriented Markets
Leveraging its multiple strengths, including the world’s largest market share in stainless steel bars, technical and customer channel experience accumulated in Europe, global service locations, international-grade metallurgical equipment, and Smart Manufacturing capabilities—Walsin Lihwa is not only launching the Steeval™ brand for Cold-Finished Bars but also collaborating with academic and research institutions, such as the Metal Industries Research and Development Center, to upgrade materials and broaden industrial applications.

Sherry Ho, President of Corporate strategy and Supply Chain Management at Walsin Lihwa, commented, “Steeval™ will help Taiwan’s manufacturing industry upgrade from ‘manufacturing-oriented’ to ‘value-oriented.’ In the precision manufacturing sector, customers prioritize quality far above price. We will provide stable, sufficient, and reliable materials and technical services, strengthening our industrial connections, enabling our users to win at the starting line in the world’s most cutting-edge application markets.”

Walsin Lihwa Advances “Three-Quality Strategy”; Steeval™ Targets AI Server, Energy, and Other Cutting-Edge Markets
“Stainless steel holds considerable growth potential in emerging trends and cutting-edge applications,” stated Wang Shyi-Chin, Vice Chairman of Walsin Lihwa. “Walsin Lihwa is promoting a ‘Three-Quality Strategy’—Diversity in Grades, Premium Quality, and Excellent Craftsmanship—to ensure Steeval™ becomes the preferred stainless steel material for advanced industries.”

The Cold-Finished Bars produced by Steeval™ are a core material for precision manufacturing, widely used in machining, automation, and other industries. The brand continuously focuses on end-user demands—such as AI servers, automotive, robotics, consumer electronics, and energy—which require high quality and precision characteristics. Steeval™ provides the most suitable solutions, positioning itself as the premier partner for stainless steel precision manufacturing.

Carrying on 30 Years of Stainless Steel Heritage, Steeval™ Brand Power Opens a New Chapter of “Value Collaboration”
Since its founding in 1966 and entering the stainless steel business in the 1990s, Walsin Lihwa has consistently produced diverse stainless steel products through integrated processes, maintaining a long-term leading position in the Greater China region. In 2022, the company initiated a strategy of value-added and globalization, commencing its European expansion and entering markets such as automotive, aerospace, and energy. In 2025, based on its accumulated advantages, Walsin Lihwa is introducing a brand-new identity for its core product, Cold-Drawn Bars, Steeval™, opening a new chapter of “Value Collaboration.”

Moving forward, Walsin Lihwa will continue to deepen Steeval™’s capabilities in R&D, manufacturing processes, and global presence, accompanying customers with more complete cross-regional supply and service capabilities, and becoming a crucial force in the global supply chain.

 

About the New Brand: Steeval™ Cold-Finished Bars
The Chinese name for Walsin Lihwa’s new Cold-Finished Bar brand, “Steeval™,” is “奇沃”, symbolizing the extremity of craftsmanship and material nurturing industry. The English name, Steeval™, is a portmanteau of Steel × Value, clearly conveying its positioning as a “High-Value-Added Stainless Steel Brand.

The brand slogan, “Your Precision, Our Mission,” encapsulates a customer-centric brand philosophy.

Steeval™ is anchored by six core brand commitments: Smart Manufacturing, Craftsmanship, Diversity, Trustworthiness, Service, and Co-Creation. From steel development and process control to a cross-regional, flexible service system, Steeval™ establishes comprehensive quality standards and a value system aimed at advanced manufacturing.

Furthermore, Steeval™ Cold-Drawn Bars possess specialized, high-tech functional characteristics—High Machinability, High Cleanliness, High Wear/Corrosion Resistance, High Heat Resistance, and Soft Magnetism—to fully address the precision manufacturing needs across diverse industries. This supports advanced fields such as Automotive, Aerospace, Semiconductors, AI Servers, and Automation Equipment, turning material into a critical driver for enhancing process efficiency and quality. Walsin is also launching the IMS Easy-Machining Series products under the Steeval™ brand, which will effectively improve tool life and surface finish, while also optimizing chip breaking, bringing a superior processing experience to the application end of the industry.

 

Integrating NKT’s Expertise, WECS Empowers Taiwan’s Autonomous Green Supply Chain Transition

Taiwan’s offshore wind industry has achieved a defining milestone. Walsin Energy Cable System (WECS) held the inauguration ceremony for its Kaohsiung Submarine Cable Factory and Kaohsiung Port Pier A6-A today (December 6th) at the Kaohsiung Intercontinental Port. This world-class, high-end facility, integrated with its dedicated pier, marks a pivotal moment for Taiwan’s offshore wind industry supply chain.

WECS, a joint venture with NKT HV Cables AB (a subsidiary of the Danish NKT Group and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of submarine cables), has established the first localized submarine cable production base, affirming Taiwan’s entry into submarine cable manufacturing. The WECS factory, spanning 231,000 square meters and featuring a six-story tower that reaches 50 meters in height, will offer advanced submarine cable manufacturing processes incorporating international-grade quality control and a comprehensive process management system. Additionally, the low-carbon and smart manufacturing process that the factory employs will comply with the highest international ESG standards, demonstrating WECS’s commitment to production efficiency and sustainable manufacturing. The factory is scheduled to complete its type tests and prequalification program by early 2027 and commence commercial production in Q3 2027; meeting the future demands of domestic offshore wind farm development projects.

Offshore wind power is a crucial cornerstone for Taiwan’s energy transition towards Net-Zero by 2050, and submarine cables are the arteries that bring green electricity generated from offshore wind farms back to the national power grid. The inauguration of the WECS submarine cable factory signifies Taiwan’s capability to independently produce submarine cables going forward, enabling immediate local support for wind farm construction, operations & maintenance, mitigating the risks of import dependence and international supply chain volatility. All of these considerations help strengthen Taiwan’s energy security.

Mr. Yu-Lon Chiao, Chairman of Walsin Energy Cable System, emphasized in his address that with the booming development of the offshore wind power industry, the Kaohsiung Port Pier A6-A inauguration ceremony is an important base supporting domestic and Asia-Pacific regional wind farms. TIPC also looks forward to building on the successful public-private partnership of Intercontinental Phase I, Zone A6-A, to work with Walsin Lihwa Corporation and contribute to Taiwan’s energy transition, jointly setting a milestone for sustainable green energy development. The Kaohsiung Port Branch Office also pledged to continue providing a superior business environment to promote the co-prosperity of the port and the city, secure more competitive advantages for Taiwan in the Asia-Pacific wind power market, and establish Kaohsiung Port as a core base for the long-term development of the offshore wind power industry,” he said.

NKT CEO Claes Westerlind also stated at the ceremony, “The inauguration of the WECS submarine cable factory is a moment of pride and an important milestone. Since the formation of the partnership in 2023, Walsin Lihwa and NKT have combined expertise, culture, and vision to jointly build this state-of-the-art submarine cable factory. This achievement embodies our shared vision of accelerating the global clean energy transition and strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure. With its expertise and commitment, NKT is honored to contribute to Taiwan’s path towards energy autonomy and net-zero emissions.”

The Kaohsiung Port pier A6-A, inaugurated simultaneously with the factory, will be jointly built by WECS and Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ltd. (TIPC). It will officially become Taiwan’s first dedicated port pier designed for submarine cables. The port pier will facilitate the direct loading of submarine cables, which could be hundreds of kilometers in length, to be manufactured from the adjacent WECS factory onto vessels, achieving an integrated “zero transshipment, zero delay” operation. This significantly shortens the overall cable supply lead time and avoids the need to double-handle the cables, ensuring product quality stability. Mr. Chou Yung-Hui, Chairman of TIPC, stated that Port pier A6-A symbolizes an important starting point for Kaohsiung Port’s transition from a traditional logistics port to a “Green Energy Industry Port.” This transition will also drive the formation of a critical offshore wind industry cluster in Southern Taiwan, creating new opportunities for high-value-added employment and bringing further upgrades to the port area.

Through deep collaboration with world-class partners, WECS not only strengthens local industry competitiveness but also leads the upgrade of Taiwan’s green energy supply chain, bringing submarine cable technology and manufacturing capabilities onto the international stage. In the future, we will continue to use our professionalism and forward-looking vision to connect with global markets and enhance Taiwan’s competitiveness in the global green energy industry.

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About Walsin Energy Cable System (WECS):
WECS is a Taiwan-based offshore/submarine cable manufacturer, established through a strategic collaboration between Walsin Lihwa and NKT Cables AB, a subsidiary of NKT A/S – one of the leading cable manufacturers in the world. Our mission is to drive Taiwan’s green energy transition by providing timely-delivered, reliable, high-quality, and competitive offshore cable products. We aim to elevate Taiwan’s strategic position in the international wind and offshore cable industry, contributing to wind power generation and energy resilience.

From left to right:
Sherry Ho
President of Corporate Strategy & SCM Org., Walsin Lihwa

Michael Yong
Chief Strategy Officer, NKT

Chung-Hsien Chen
Deputy Director-General, Energy Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA)

Wen-Sheng Tseng
Chairman, Taiwan Power Company

Yu-Cheng Chiao
Chairman & CEO, Winbond Electronics Corp.

Chin-Tsang Ho
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA)

Jong-Chin Shen
Senior Advisor to the President

Yu-Lon Chiao
Chairman, Walsin Energy Cable System & Walsin Lihwa

Jens Due Olsen
Chairman, NKT

Chi-Mai Chen
Mayor of Kaohsiung City

Joe Y. Chou
Chairman, Taiwan International Ports Corporation

Claes Westerlind
CEO and President, NKT

Ching-Chuan Lu
Deputy Director General, Department of Navigation and Aviation, Ministry of Transportation and Communications

Yu-Hsin Tsou
Deputy Director General, Industrial Development Administration, MOEA

Michael C. Hjorth
Chief Commercial Officer, NKT

Justin Wong
Chief Operating Officer, Walsin Energy Cable System

Walsin Lihwa Corporation announced its net operating revenue for November 2025. The company’s consolidated net operating revenue for November 2025 was NT$12.76 billion. January through November revenue for 2025 totaled NT$158.75 billion.

Established in 1966, Walsin Lihwa dedicates itself to the development of wire and cable, stainless steel, commodity resources, real estate, and renewable energies. Walsin Lihwa has established itself as a leading manufacturer of wires and cables in Greater China, as well as a global leader in the stainless steel industry. The company has also expanded itself into a multinational conglomerate with high-tech and energy investments.