Tai Sheng's Massage Chairs Offer Relaxation for Body, Mind, and Soul

Since its establishment as Taiwan's first massage-chair developer and manufacturer, the Tai Sheng Electrical Machinery Co. has become the world's leadingmaker of pedicure spa massage chairs for salons. The company, which markets its products under the NEOX brand, holds the most patents of any Taiwanese company in its line.

During the past few years Tai Sheng's development has been given an added boost by its achievement of certification of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) of Taiwan a medical certification.

A few years ago the company mapped out an ambitious blueprint for future growth, calling for the development of a series of products that can sooth the body, mind, and soul. A number of the resulting new products have been unveiled recently.

The first Taiwanese company to introduce a 100% homegrown massage chair

Tai Sheng was the first Taiwanese company to introduce a 100% homegrown massage chair, which it did in 1981 after overcoming challenges in the areas of electrical machinery, mechanical structures, and parts shortages. To date it has developed more than 100 models of massage chairs with ever-better functions and quality.

As a leading supplier, the company now ships to customers in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Annual sales numbers are expected to expand dramatically, thanks to newer and more innovative products that are down the pipeline.

In addition to selling under its own NEOX brand, Tai Sheng also supplies massage chairs to all of the other big massage-chair brands in Taiwan. The company has also captured over 30% of the high-end pedicure spa massage-chair market in North America, the world's largest market for beauty-salon equipment.

The company has used its strong R&D capability to develop a wide range of massage devices including full-function massage chairs, inversion massage chairs, zero-gravity massage chairs, massage sofas, massage recliners, foot massagers, massage cushions, massage belts, beauty-care massage products, healthcare massage products, pedicure spa massage chairs, pedicure stools, nail salon pedicure equipment, medical massagers, and other massage equipment.

Father of massage chairs in Taiwan

Chang, who is acclaimed as the "father of massage chairs in Taiwan," says that R&D has undoubtedly been his company's core advantage ever since its establishment. "We pour nearly 8% of our revenue into R&D every year," he reports, "because we see it as the main support of our sustainable operation. The experience of the past 25 years teaches us that outstanding and constantly improving R&D capability is the key factor in our long-term continuous growth. We fully understand that newer and better products, developed by a group of talented R&D professionals, are the soul of a competitive company."

The company's R&D team currently consists of 15 people, including Chang himself, and is known as the biggest and strongest in the local massage-chair industry. With a growing involvement in the medical-equipment field, the R&D team is expected to expand substantially in the next few years.

"We have the most technical patents around 50, of any Taiwan massage-equipment company, and we work constantly to keep our massage technology fresh and up to date," Chang notes. "This has been the key to our sales success."

One of the company's new products reflects its R&D and innovation capability-a "sleep capsule mind massage chair" that integrates the full functions of a high-end massage chair with a sleep capsule on the top of its back. It utilizes self-developed light/sound therapy technology that, it is claimed, elevates the brain's alpha waves to provide deep relaxation.

Doing everything in-house

"We were the first company in Taiwan to produce and export massage chairs, so we know the market and customer demand. Also, we're the only integrated developer and manufacturer of these products on the island, doing everything in-house."

This capability helps Tai Sheng maintain quality and differentiate itself from its competitors by controlling technology and producing all key systems and parts at its plant in central Taiwan. Then, Chang says, "Throughout 28 years of experience, we have gained a direct knowledge of customer needs and respond rapidly with newer and better products."

To Chang, to be different means to be the best and, in many cases, the only. "Our location in Taiwan is another advantage for us," the president notes, "because here we can get talented professionals and quality workers, and offer products that are competitive in quality and price. Our objective is to be not the largest, but the best."

Soothing All the Senses

"Using our established strengths in the massage chair line," Chang explains, "we've aimed at developing a product that can simultaneously soothe your body, mind, and soul. After a long period of R&D we've come up with this new-generation 'mind massage' chair that allows the user to relax totally via three of his or her five senses-the sense of touch via the massaging mechanism, the sense of hearing via music, and the sense of sight through programmed lights."

Pedicure SPA Massage Chair

Tai Sheng's high-end pedicure spa massage chair features all desired functions, helping to make it an all-time best seller in the North American Market.

The sense of sight "massage" works by having light beams stimulate the retina when your eyes are closed, thus elevating the alpha waves in the brain and achieving the most thorough relaxation.

"Physical treatment is a trend," Chang comments, "and we expect our R&D capability to give us a solid foothold in that business. In the initial stage we will push the 'mind massage' chairs to help relieve stress and improve sleep quality; in the second stage, we plan to cooperate with medical institutions to develop better products for hypochondriacs and patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder."

Sleep Capsule Mind Massage Chair

This latest product of Tai Sheng uses a sound and light device in an overhead capsule to stimulate the alpha brain waves to achieve optimal relaxation.

Winner of Numerous Awards

In recognition of its achievements, Tai Sheng has won a number of awards over the years, including the Taiwan SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) Innovation Award and Rising Star Award by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Taiwan Excellence Award and Excellent Product Design Award by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. In addition, its president, Chang Hung-chun, was named one of the honorees in the 22nd Paradigm of Youth Career Development awards by the China Youth Career Development Association.

Vision

However good it may be, the company never rests on its laurels but plans constantly for the future. It will continue to set up subsidiaries in target markets such as the United States and mainland China in order to get closer to its customers. It will also continue to expand its production and sales volumes.

TAI SHENG ELECTRICAL MACHINERY CO., LTD.

No. 205, Chung Cheng W. Rd., Tatsun Hsiang, Chang Hua Hsien, Taiwan 515

Tel: 886-4-8538668

Fax: 886-4-8538668

E-mail:neox@neox-fitness.com

http://www.neox-fitness.com, http://www.neox.com.tw