Taiwan's machinery makers are moving into semiconductor equipment, a potential win for the island's traditional manufacturers if government support follows.

• Taiwan wants to make the machines that make chips, not just the chips themselves.
• The global market for chipmaking gear is set to keep growing, reaching $230 billion by 2028.
• Machine tool firms are shifting from ordinary metalworking into precision parts, motion control and equipment modules for chip plants.
• Interest is jumping fast: member companies exhibiting at Taiwan's big semiconductor show went from a dozen in 2022 to over a hundred this year.
• The hard part is the wait — chip equipment takes years to qualify, and top engineers keep leaving for higher-paying tech giants.

Outlook: The industry group is pushing the government for a full support plan, and expects small and large firms to pair up to crack the supply chain.