Walsin Lihwa Expands UK Investment　British Office Taipei Hails New Chapter in UK–Taiwan Economic Cooperation

Front row, from left to right: Ruth Bradley-Jones, Representative of the British Office Taipei (second from left); Lord Faulkner of Worcester, UK Trade Envoy to Taiwan (third from left); Yu-Lon Chiao, Chairman of Walsin Lihwa (fifth from left); Baroness Gustafsson CBE, UK Minister for Investment (sixth from left).

Walsin Lihwa (Walsin) announced a major investment plan by its UK subsidiary, Special Melted Products (SMP), in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The plan targets the UK's steel and advanced manufacturing industries and includes the acquisition of high-end melting and forging equipment, as well as the expansion of existing facilities. The goal is to expand SMP's product lines in aerospace and energy materials. The investment is initially expected to create over 200 high-skilled jobs by 2028.

On July 17th, UK Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE, visited the Sheffield facility of SMP, accompanied by Ruth Bradley-Jones, Representative of the British Office Taipei, and Lord Faulkner of Worcester, the UK Trade Envoy to Taiwan. The visit marked the celebration of another successful example of UK-Taiwan collaboration.

Last year (2024), Walsin acquired SMP, a leading UK manufacturer of high-end specialty steels and nickel-based superalloys. In March this year (2025), Walsin and SMP jointly invested in AML Sheffield (Advanced Manufacturing Sheffield Ltd), a spin-out from the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. AML, which received the 2024 King's Award for Enterprise in Innovation, is a critical supplier to the global aerospace, defense, nuclear, and energy industries, providing advanced component manufacturing services to internationally renowned companies such as Rolls-Royce and Siemens Energy.

Walsin's investment in the UK spans key sectors including aerospace, steel, and nuclear energy. It not only aligns with the UK's recently released Modern Industrial Strategy, which emphasizes advanced manufacturing and high-growth sectors, but also echoes Deloitte's latest survey of finance officers which has found the UK is the joint top location for investment in the world.

Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE said:
Our modern Industrial Strategy is all about having more high paid jobs in the industries of the future, in communities right around the UK. This investment is a major vote of confidence in Sheffield's world-class manufacturing sector and couldn't match our ambitions better.

Our Steel Strategy later this year will set out further support we will take to boost the steel sector and encourage investments like this, and we look forward to hearing from Walsin Lihwa about their ambitious UK growth plans, delivering on our Plan for Change.

Representative of the British Office Taipei Ruth Bradley-Jones said:
We are delighted to support Walsin Lihwa's investment in the UK's advanced manufacturing and energy sectors. This move not only aligns with the UK's recently announced Modern Industrial Strategy, but also marks a new milestone in the UK-Taiwan investment and trade partnership.

The UK boasts world-leading research and development capabilities, ranks third globally in academic research output, and has one of the top five innovation ecosystems in the world. Building on these strengths, we look forward to further deepening UK-Taiwan business ties and making the UK the top investment destination for Taiwanese companies.

Walsin Lihwa Chairman, Yu-Lon Chiao, said:
The United Kingdom possesses a vast market in aerospace, energy, and nuclear power sectors that is unparalleled by Taiwan. This investment marks a significant milestone in SMP's development and underscores Walsin Lihwa's firm determination for global expansion strategy.

Looking ahead, we plan to establish an R&D centre in the UK to further strengthen our capabilities in materials and digital technology innovation, while deepening our collaborative ties with the European market to jointly promote industrial upgrading and sustainable development.