On March 29th, 2023, HIMA, a leading provider of safety-related automation solutions for the Process and Railway industries, announced the opening of its new branch office in Taiwan. The event was graced by Mr. Friedhelm Best, HIMA Vice President Region Asia Pacific, who emphasized the company's commitment to customers and partners in Taiwan and the wider Asia Pacific region.

Mr. Best noted that the new branch office would improve HIMA's service capabilities to customers and partners in Taiwan, aligning with the company's global priority towards customer orientation. HIMA's expertise in safety will allow the company to play its part in Taiwan by offering solutions that include safety controllers and software for functional safety, which can be seamlessly connected to existing control systems in process and rail applications.

HIMA has installed over 50,000 safety solutions worldwide in 80 different countries and is looking to add to that number with more installations within Taiwan. One of the most important industrial sectors worldwide is the processing of chemical and petrochemicals, which is also one of the most competitive. Mr. Best emphasized that many companies in this sector are pushing the limits of their plants, exposing technology, the environment, and their employees to higher risk. However, HIMA's solutions comprehensively safeguard plants, allowing them to operate more productively and profitably while adhering to all legal standards.

HIMA's Emergency Shut Down Systems, with HIMatrix being a popular choice, are one solution used in different cases worldwide. They ensure maximum safety, long-term availability, and future-proofing while fulfilling all requirements for functional safety in the process industry (IEC 61511) and providing effective protection against the growing threat of cyber-attacks (IEC 62443).

In the railway industry, cost pressures and cybersecurity vulnerabilities are on the rise, making it essential to find cost-efficient, fast-to-implement, and strict safety and cybersecurity standards solutions. Ms. Tracy Lau, HIMA Taiwan branch office manager, noted that recent railway incidents have triggered safety awareness within the industry. As a result, the priority of people's safety and the protection of the environment have become crucial topics that the authorities want to address. HIMA has nearly 1,000 railway safety installations in more than 30 countries, with applications ranging from interlocking, level crossing, and rolling stock across high-speed rail, mainline rail, metro, and light rail, using the game-changing commercial-off-the-shelf COTS safety controllers developed by HIMA.

Despite opening their latest branch office, HIMA is not new to Taiwan. The company has previously replaced existing relay systems with HIMA SIL4 COTS among railway systems within Taiwan, improving the reliability and availability of the system and eliminating the constant train delay caused by the failing of the existing relay system. HIMA lists the LNG, refinery, petrochemical process, and power plant industries as areas where their expertise can improve functional safety within Taiwan.

Mr. Best reiterated that HIMA's priority in the rapidly developing Asia Pacific region is to offer tailor-made solutions and services that address the safety challenges specific to the market and cater to the unique requirements of their customers. With their local presence in Taiwan, HIMA can offer advanced safety knowledge and technical services, safeguarding individuals, enterprises, and the environment.