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Special Report

Jimmy Chu Dedicated to Machine Tool Industry

Jimmy Chu, Founder and Chairman of the Fair Friend Group.

Jimmy Chu, Founder and Chairman of the Fair Friend Group.

Jimmy Chu, Founder and Chairman of the Fair Friend Group (FFG), is a business leader known for his vision in the machinery industry. He dedicated much of his career to driving industrial integration and the development of advanced industry, expanding his company from a small enterprise into a global corporation. FFG possesses 96 affiliates and 53 product brands across 16 countries and has 80 production bases worldwide.

Chu used to be a sailor. It wasn’t until he foresaw the growth potential in the machinery industry that he decided to commit his career to it. In 1979, Chu founded FFG as a distributor for a Japanese company called Kobe Steel. During the years in which Taiwan’s machinery industry faced competition in the global market, Chu led acquisitions and joint ventures to quickly gain access to the world’s top technology and talent pool to increase Taiwan’s competitiveness.

Chu has acquired over 40 machine manufacturers overseas and worked with 17 joint ventures, diversifying operations in machinery, equipment, and green energy. The business grew significantly in profits, and earned him the reputation of “The King of Mergers” within the machinery industry. By 2016, FFG had become the third largest machine tool group in the world, with clients such as Boeing, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Chu has been a key figure in the development of Taiwan’s machinery industry for over thirty years. He values talents and is focused on innovative R&D, marketing services, and value creation. FFG dedicates 4% of its revenue each year towards R&D, which accounts for 22% of the company’s employees. Chu hopes that through R&D innovation and product diversification, FFG can expand the reach of its products to Asia and the global market.

In 2016, Chu was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, known as the “Olympic Medal for Entrepreneurs”, to recognize his business management achievements.

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