Buyer numbers at Computex Taipei 2004 increased by 18 percent, said the organizers, cementing the event's position as the second biggest IT trade fair in the world — behind the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas — and the biggest in Asia.

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and the Taipei Computer Association, who co-organized the show, said there were more than 118,000 visitors, with the majority coming from the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea. For the first time a large procurement group of 895 buyers visited the event from Singapore.

A TAITRA spokesman said mainland China's ban on its suppliers taking part at the show had failed to dampen enthusiasm. The ban was ordered by Beijing as a protest against pro-independent Chen Shi-bian's re-election as President in March.

Computex — also known as the Taipei International Information and Technology Show — was held from June 1–5 at four separate show grounds in the Taiwanese capital. It occupied three halls at the Taipei World Trade Center and one hall at the neighboring Taipei International Convention Center, with 2,750 booths spread across the four exhibition halls. Major exhibits included:

• Computers
• Board-level products
• Components
• Communications
• Peripherals
• Displays
• Input devices
• Storage devices
• Software
• Accessories

A new 6,500-square meter hall located between Halls 1 and 2 of the TWTC was built especially for the show and the TWTC's second floor was expanded to accommodate 300 booths. To make it easy for visitors to get around the massive site, shuttle buses were available between the four halls.

Taiwan's IT industry has been a major success story. In terms of sales, it has the highest turnover of any industry sector on the island. Production of information hardware alone ranked fourth in Taiwan in 2002 at US$47.8 billion. Globally, Taiwan's information hardware sector ranks fourth after the US, mainland China and Japan.

In terms of product categories, notebook PCs and monitors (including CRTs and LCD types) led the way with $24.1 billion in total product-value in 2002, or half of all hardware produced. With LCD screens becoming almost essential for PCs, sales of the thinner types have taken off. The annual average increase has been 71.7 percent over the last two years, with LCDs overtaking CRTs in 2002 to lead the market.

Computex also featured a range of industry seminars and forums. During one of the forums Gopal Srinivasan, director of TVS Electronics Limited, a hardware manufacturer and a member of India's TVS Group, urged Taiwan companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to take advantage of India's business process outsourcing capabilities and electronic design prowess.

"Taiwan's SMEs can improve their efficiency by establishing service centers in India to take care of their European and U.S. customers," said Srinivasan. "Since the European market takes up the lion's share of Taiwan companies' overseas sales, Taiwan businesses should consider setting up shop in India, which is situated at the middle point between Taiwan and Europe, as maintenance bases for the Western European market."

Srinivasan said the large, skilled and low-cost labor force in India makes it an ideal place for electronic design outsourcing. India' massive domestic market also offers a golden opportunity for Taiwan companies.