Wood Pellet FurnaceWood Pellets

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• Complex regional structure

• Poor infrastructure – roads & electricity

• Lowest EDB (Ease of Doing Business)- 122 /181

• Warm weather – little need for heat products

• Abundant natural and energy resources- the biggest producers of coal

• Isolated geographic location

• Language barrier

99% of the population are Japanese

• Infrastructure is owned by private company

Privatization of railroads

• Introduce the product in the wrong time – few competitors

Failed in 1982 due to the declining of oil price

• Very little to no natural and energy resources

• Small market in fuel pellets

• Product loyalty to local productLocal product is supported by government

Standard and quality

Taiwan China South Korea

High level of inter-regional mobility

Well established export system, transportation system

Population Stagnant Large Stagnant

EDB (www.doingbusiness.com)

61/181 83/181 23/181

Economy & GDP Affluent Corruption Chaebols

Competition No Yes Few

• Taipei, capital of Taiwan

• Taipei metropolitan area includes Taipei City, Taipei County and Keelung City• Central geographic location relative to Eastern Asian countries

• Taipei's international airport is located in Taoyuan • Combination of metro and light rail trains, conventional railways, an integrated system of busses

• The HSR line starts in Taipei, and is home to the Port of Taipei

• Considered to be the “economic, cultural and political center” of Taiwan

• Stable banking services

• Neihu Technology Park, Taiwan Think Tank Project

• Taipei boasts “the broadest wireless broadband coverage” among world class cities

• Taipei Municipal Government focused on “the strengthening of network equipment and infrastructure”

• 27 universities and vocational schools = top talent

Taoyuan• One of the largest cities •Very developed, with “many department stores, supermarkets, and international restaurants in the city”

Taoyuan Continued...• Excellent transportation system, with an HSR train station, international airport (tourists would know this as the “Taipei airport”), 2 north-south highways and conventional railways connected to the rest of the country

Hsinchu• Role: transform Taiwan into a high-technology country

• Home to Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park ('The Silicon Valley of Taiwan' ) with 400+ high tech companies

• Located next to two universities

Hsinchu Continued• Excellent transportation options: HSR train station, conventional railways, and highways to connect Hsinchu to the rest of the country

• Common Wealth December 2003 Issue: Hsinchu infrastructure is best in all of Taiwan, second best for “its livability and investment environment.”

Taichung• Home of small businesses, with “with small eateries, traditional markets, and other various family businesses”

• Fun fact: Bubble tea was invented here

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Taichung Continued• Taichung International Airport, HSR station, Taichung Harbor/port – “is the second largest cargo facility on the island capable of handling container shipping”, several highways, and 3 local conventional train stations

Taichung Continued• Home to furniture manufacturers – possible source of raw materials

• Industrial park with high tech manufacturing

• 3rd largest city in Taiwan

Tainan• 4th largest city

• Tainan Science Park (30 minutes drive from Kaohsiung Int'l Airport)

• County goal: to become well known for new technology and science advances

Tainan Continued• The conventional railway system, Tainan Station = major stop, “with direct connections to Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Hsinchu and Keelung”

• HSR station located outside Tainan city, national highways link Tainan to the rest of the country, along with local highways and Tainan Airport (domestic)

Why are we not planning to expand to other Taiwanese counties?• Difficulties for access due to mountainous regions

• Lack of HSR stations which may or may not be combined with lack of easy access to ports

• Difficulties in setting up a plant as large areas on the east coast are protected by governments

Beyond Taiwan:• Taiwan has informal ties with ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and political ties with China

Taiwan has what Firemaster is looking for to expand their product:- Government that promotes sustainability- Many small businesses- Increase in advanced technology- Exceptional infrastructure- Reliability on foreign energy sources