Taiwan’s Hartford Technology reinvents machine tool legacy with AI

台灣協鴻（Hartford Technology）利用人工智慧（AI）重塑工具機傳統

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As it marks its 60th anniversary, Hartford Technology is redefining its legacy through a bold transformation focused on artificial intelligence and sustainability.

Founded in 1965 by Chen Chih-chieh (陳致傑), a self-taught mechanic from Changhua County, Hartford grew out of grit and vision, per CNA. Rejecting contract manufacturing, Chen chose to pursue original design, and his machines eventually entered the supply chains of Boeing, Samsung, and NASA.

At its peak, Hartford produced 400 machining centers per month, accounting for nearly half of Taiwan’s machine tool exports. Despite lucrative OEM offers, Chen insisted on building premium machines under his own name.

That philosophy still hangs above the company’s front door: “Earn when you can, absorb losses when you must, but always build the best machines.”

Today, Chen is leading a new chapter. Armed with a Columbia University finance degree, he is modernizing operations with AI-powered auto-compensation systems, smart energy management, and real-time carbon tracking.

With government support and assistance from the Precision Machinery Research Development Center, Hartford aims to boost precision, raise unit prices, and reduce maintenance costs — all while cutting emissions.

Hartford is also reshaping its image. Gone are the oily, cramped shop floors of the past. The company’s facilities now resemble tech campuses, complete with bright lighting and automation.

To close the industry’s talent gap, Chen launched a program focused on mid-career training, digitizing veteran expertise, and attracting younger and female professionals.

With the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism set to take effect in 2026 and earlier tariff pressures under former US President Donald Trump, the machine tool sector faces strong headwinds. Yet Chen sees opportunity in electric vehicles and renewable energy.

“This is just the starting line,” he said. “Hartford’s next 60 years begin now.”