TAICHUNG, TAIWAN — The 2026 Taiwan International Tools & Hardware Expo x International Hardware Expo Taiwan (TiTE x IHT) opened at the Taichung International Convention & Exhibition Center (TICEC), co-organized by the Taiwan Hand Tool Manufacturers' Association (THTMA) and Lanza International Co., Ltd.,
This year's event adopted the theme "TEAM TAIWAN: From Manufacturing to Co-Creation | AI Empowerment & Smart Upgrading."
Last year, TiTE x IHT served as the inaugural trade exhibition at the newly opened TICEC. During his address, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te commended Taiwan's hand tool and hardware component manufacturers for winning global trust through "high quality, high resilience and fast delivery," describing them as a crucial cornerstone of SME exports and encouraging Taiwan to evolve from a "Kingdom of Hand Tools" into a new international benchmark for smart manufacturing.
Returning one year later, President Lai recognized the industry's continued resilience amidst tariff adjustments, exchange rate fluctuations and supply chain realignments. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting SMEs in adopting AI, smart manufacturing and low-carbon transformations.
The exhibition featured 450 exhibiting companies across over 1,000 booths, representing a booth growth of more than 25% over last year. The opening day drew over 10,000 attendee visits and invited over 100 hosted international buyers, including global tool brands such as Stanley Black & Decker, Snap-on and Würth, alongside leading home improvement retailers including Leroy Merlin, Kingfisher, OBI and Ace Hardware, accompanied by over 25 international trade media representatives.
President Lai also joined key dignitaries for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including Legislators Ho Hsin-tsun and Yang Chiung-ying, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Chin-tsang, TAITRA Secretary-General Wang Hsi-mong, Director-General of Taichung City Bureau of Economic Development Chang Feng-yuan, China Steel Corporation Chairman Huang Chien-chih, Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) Chairman Wu Cho-chun, Vice Chairperson of Japan DIY-HC Association Terutaka Takeda and Trade and Investment Commissioner for Queensland Taiwan Juna Ferrett.
This year's exhibition features eight specialized zones: Tools & Accessories, Metalworking Processes & Equipment, Plant Equipment & Industrial Safety, Automotive Repair & EV Applications, Fasteners, Gardening, Agriculture & Outdoor, Building & Home Improvement and Smart Manufacturing & Automation. Products ranged from hand tools, torque tools and testing equipment to fasteners, metal processing, automotive service machinery, EV equipment and automated warehouse applications.
