TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's largest cement producer, TCC Group Holdings (台灣水泥, Taiwan Cement Corporation), gathered shareholders Tuesday (May 27) to confront mounting business pressures while outlining ambitious technological initiatives. During the annual meeting, company leadership emphasized the often-overlooked importance of cement manufacturing in supporting critical industries, including Taiwan's vital semiconductor sector. The chairman candidly acknowledged financial expectations for 2025 would likely fall short of previous results but stressed the firm's unwavering dedication to business transformation and technological advancement.
The cement giant outlined strategies to expand its international footprint while accelerating artificial intelligence integration throughout its manufacturing ecosystem, despite navigating intensifying geopolitical tensions and deteriorating global economic conditions. TCC Chairman Nelson Chang (張安平) detailed the company's extensive AI implementation program for 2025, which encompasses manufacturing process enhancements, renewable energy facility maintenance, and carbon-neutral logistics solutions. Chang highlighted technological progress at TCC's European operations through subsidiary Cimpor, which has successfully deployed advanced monitoring technologies across 25 production facilities spanning six European nations.
During the shareholder meeting, TCC General Manager Yao-Hui Cheng (程耀輝) identified renewable energy investments as a crucial revenue stream with substantial growth potential for the company. Cheng tempered optimism with pragmatic warnings about unpredictable market conditions, regulatory shifts in various jurisdictions, and complexities inherent in managing multinational operations. To illustrate these business hazards, he referenced European automotive manufacturing partner Stellantis, which experienced substantial financial setbacks in 2024 with marked decreases in both revenue and profitability figures.
The executive further highlighted emerging currency market instability as a significant concern, noting the New Taiwan dollar's strengthening position against major currencies including the U.S. dollar and euro. Cheng warned shareholders that these exchange rate movements would inevitably affect financial statement valuations for Taiwanese corporations with international operations and investments. The appreciating domestic currency creates particular challenges for export-oriented businesses like TCC that generate substantial revenue from overseas markets and maintain significant foreign currency-denominated assets. ◼