Taiwan-based air conditioner and commercial laundry machine distributor Up Young Cornerstone plans to focus its 2026 operations on two core strategies: group upgrades, and the development of brands and channels. The company aims to deepen its existing air conditioning and commercial laundry businesses while further integrating agency and proprietary brand resources, advancing toward a diversified business model that supports a target of double-digit revenue growth for the year.
The outbreak of war between the US and Iran in late February 2026 has entered its second month, sending shockwaves through global energy and petrochemical markets. Soaring crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices are cascading downstream, affecting manufacturers across multiple industries.
Samsung SDI is actively expanding its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery material supply chain to capture opportunities in the US energy storage system (ESS) market, driven by growing demand from AI data centers. The company is procuring LFP cathode materials from South Korea's L&F while also investing in Fino through a paid capital increase to strengthen collaboration with CNP Advanced Material Technology.
Industrial PC maker Advantech announced on March 27 a strategic investment via a wholly owned subsidiary in energy solution provider Intelligent Cloud Plus (ICP). The goal: jointly develop standardized, replicable integrated solutions for the power and energy automation market. The move comes as comprehensive solutions grow increasingly important in the competitive edge AI landscape.
Taiwan Power (Taipower) officially submitted its plan to restart the Maanshan (No. 3) nuclear power plant to Taiwan's Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) for review on March 27.
As the global AI arms race intensifies, Taiwan is positioning itself as the primary AI partner for nations besides the US and China. Wedged between these two geopolitical giants, Taiwan is leveraging its dominance in AI servers and semiconductors to foster deeper collaborations with Germany, France, and neighboring nations.
Sony Honda Mobility, the joint venture between Sony and Honda, has scrapped the two "Afeela"-branded electric vehicles it had been developing, citing Honda's recent strategic shift that canceled three planned US EVs—moves that could cost the automaker nearly US$16 billion. The decision leaves the joint venture's hundreds of employees in Tokyo and California facing uncertainty, as the companies evaluate the venture's future.
South Korea will keep electricity rates unchanged for the second quarter of 2026 amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which are pushing global energy prices higher, a decision intended to stabilize household costs in the short term. The move, however, exposes mounting contradictions between the country's electricity pricing mechanism and broader energy policy objectives.
Samsung SDI has secured a multi-year supply of LFP cathode materials from L&F, strengthening its North American energy storage system (ESS) strategy and reducing reliance on Chinese suppliers. The deal could influence global ESS supply chains, US regulatory compliance, and competitive dynamics in large-scale battery manufacturing and procurement.
Every advanced chip leaves behind a chemical trail. The solvents, acids, and sludge generated in semiconductor fabrication are growing faster than the fabs themselves — and for most of the world, they remain an expensive, hazardous liability. In Taiwan, one company has turned that problem into a business.
Tesla is preparing to enter India's industrial energy storage market, according to a job advertisement posted on the company's careers website and reported by Reuters. The listing sought a business development lead in India to "develop and execute a comprehensive market expansion strategy for industrial energy storage solutions." It said the candidate would help shape Tesla's entry into "utility-scale energy storage." The posting did not elaborate on specific plans.
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