Taiwan Honda Trading Co., Ltd., established in 2002, serves as Honda Trading's base in Taiwan. With offices in both Taipei and Kaohsiung, the company is now exploring new business opportunities by combining its core operations with an "offshore" style approach to innovation. We spoke with Chairman and President Yusuke Watanabe, along with New Business Development Manager Falcon Lee, about this forward-looking strategy.
Supporting Asia's Supply Chain through Reliable Sourcing and Trade
As part of the Honda Group's supply chain in Asia, Taiwan Honda Trading contributes to the stable flow of raw materials and components that support global manufacturing. Its key business activities include three main functions: 1) Supplying raw materials, 2) Importing automotive parts, and 3) Exporting Taiwan-made components.
For raw materials, the company sources steel coils from local manufacturers and exports them to Honda's vehicle factories across Asia, including China and Japan. On the import side, overseas parts are delivered just in time to Honda's plant in Pingdong, Taiwan, where around 30,000 cars are produced annually.
As for exports, the company handles products such as tires and mirrors from Taiwanese suppliers, and demand for electronic components like sensors has also been steadily increasing.
At the same time, Taiwan Honda Trading is actively exploring new business fields, separate from the traditional auto sector. Recent initiatives include efforts to co-develop a compact e-mobility vehicle for the North American market in collaboration with Honda and a Taiwanese manufacturing partner, exploring potential collaboration between a Taiwanese motor company and a Japanese coil producer, and working toward supplying Japanese-made energy storage devices to server makers in Taiwan.
Office Location: Taiwan Honda Trading Co., Ltd.
Positioning Taipei as a Hub for New Business Development
To support these initiatives, the company restructured its office functions in 2024. The Taipei office was designated as the center for new business development, while the Kaohsiung office continues to focus on core operations. This clear division of roles allows the two locations to complement each other more effectively.
The Taipei team now works out of One&Co, a convenient coworking space located in the Zhongshan area, just one station away from Taipei Main Station. The location was selected to support networking, business promotion, and collaboration with potential partners. "I was involved in setting up a new business division back in Japan, working out of an incubation space in Tokyo's Toranomon district," says Watanabe. "There, I experienced how valuable cross-industry interaction can be, which led us to choose a similar environment in Taipei." Since the relocation in June 2024, the office has seen active engagement with around 100 tenant companies, resulting in new connections and business leads.
"Our internal motto is Be Doers. Instead of getting stuck on what's difficult, we ask ourselves how we can make it happen. It's about becoming people of action," Watanabe explains. "As a company that takes initiative, we want to continue pushing forward with new ideas and invite potential partners to keep an eye on what we're doing."
Creating Business Opportunities through Collaboration with TAITRA
To discover new opportunities, Taiwan Honda Trading also participates in various industry events. On April 30, 2024, the company co-hosted the Taiwan Honda Trading Business Exchange Meeting with the Kaohsiung office of TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council), a government-affiliated organization that promotes international trade and business development.
The event brought together many local businesses involved in automotive and motorcycle manufacturing, including parts, resin, mold making, and equipment. It served as a platform for direct discussions and matching needs with local vendors who are aiming to expand globally. Many also expressed interest in hard-to-source, innovative products. For small and mid-sized companies with excellent technology, it was an opportunity to connect with international markets through Honda Trading's network.
Taiwan Honda Trading is especially interested in emerging fields such as driving safety systems, carbon neutrality solutions, and circular materials. One standout example introduced at the event was recycled PET from a local startup. Produced by collecting unused synthetic fiber scraps from the apparel industry, this recycled PET generates only one-fifth the carbon emissions of new PET and is also cost-effective. By mixing in other materials, it can resemble ABS or PP, and can even be recycled again.
The company aims to identify promising technologies like these and help bring them to market. Some business leads are already progressing; for instance, one participant requested a quote for special steel materials used in aerospace applications.
In May, Taiwan Honda Trading also joined South Asia Business Day, an event organized by TAITRA in Taipei, where 116 Indian companies met with about 1,000 Taiwanese suppliers to discuss procurement needs. Among Japanese-affiliated trading firms, Taiwan Honda Trading was the only one in attendance. Working alongside colleagues from Honda Trading India, the team conducted business talks directly in local languages.
"Being able to speak directly with Indian buyers in their native language helped demonstrate our global capability and reliability," says Lee. "It also reassured them that we could offer continued support through our presence in India after they returned home."
TAITRA hosts many such events throughout the year, inviting companies from around the world to Taiwan. Business Days targeting ASEAN, Europe, the U.S., and Africa are planned for the near future, and Taiwan Honda Trading plans to take part actively.
A Global Partner That Moves with Local Insight
Taiwan Honda Trading has set a clear goal: to make new businesses account for 25% of its operations by 2030. To achieve this, the company is looking to promote Taiwan's strengths in IT and semiconductor technology to the global market and expand into new areas beyond the automotive sector.
Partnerships with local institutions are also expanding. For instance, Taiwan Honda Trading has held technical exchanges with ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute) on advanced semiconductor technologies, and is conducting joint research on aluminum recycling with MIRDC (Metal Industries Research & Development Centre). These local collaborations are key advantages.
The company's cross-border capabilities are another strength. As a global trading firm, it is well-versed in handling complex procedures related to international trade, including legal compliance, currency management, and payment terms. With staff fluent in multiple languages, Taiwan Honda Trading ensures smooth communication for technical discussions and contract negotiations across borders.
In line with Honda's 2050 carbon neutrality goals, the company also entered the supply chain for organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials in 2024. It is now helping to connect Taiwanese startups and Japanese firms through technical meetings. Orders for the first half of 2025 are already four times higher than the full-year total for 2024, showing strong momentum.
Taiwan Honda Trading combines global perspective with local responsiveness. Under its guiding principle of "Think Globally, Act Locally," the company is committed to providing thoughtful and reliable services for international business. "We look forward to being your trusted partner in global trade," says Lee.
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