Their stories show a simple but powerful truth: When employees feel respected and supported, organizational strength naturally follows.

A New Perspective From Germany: KING’s Solution Sees the Future of Taiwan Manufacturing

“Business was remarkably strong this year—we just returned from a major exhibition in Germany,” said Executive Director Ying-Yu Su of KING’s Solution. Despite global recession and a downturn in Taiwan’s exports, the company’s injection-molding machinery continues to sell across 38 countries.

Su joined the family business at age 21, working her way up through procurement, machining, mechanical principles, and international business development. “Gender is never the obstacle—attitude is,” she said. Today, she is one of the few women leading from the front lines of Taiwan’s injection-molding industry.

Stepping inside KING’s Solution’s factory, visitors are often surprised to see many women confidently operating large industrial machines. “People often assume the machinery sector belongs to men, but AI changed the rules,” Su explained. With intelligent systems in place, tasks that once required considerable physical strength have become far more manageable. One senior accounting colleague, who speaks no English, now uses AI translation tools to reconcile accounts during international meetings. “Technology should make workplaces more equal, not create new barriers.”

These changes have produced unexpected results. When European and American clients tour the facility and see women demonstrating equipment and explaining technical features, they often express admiration. “At the exhibition in Germany, many buyers were curious about our gender-inclusive culture—it has become a meaningful part of our brand identity,” Su said. For her, “green manufacturing, smart living, and inclusive growth” reflect the company’s core values, not slogans.

Executive Director Ying-Yu Su (right) representing KING’s Solution at a trade show in Germany. (Photo: KING’s Solution)

A PhD Director’s Rise: Challenging Stereotypes in Early Education

While KING’s Solution transforms an industrial environment, Zendi Education Group is reshaping early childhood education by challenging long-held assumptions about the sector.

“Our principal at the Bade campus received the Outstanding Principal Award this year, and two of our senior teachers were also recognized,” said CEO Chao-Ting Tai, listing recent achievements. Zendi oversees preschools across Taoyuan, caring for nearly one-tenth of the city’s preschool-aged children—an impressive figure at a time when low birthrates are putting pressure on the industry. “Without healthy, happy teachers, there will never be satisfied parents and children,” Tai said.

Holding a doctoral degree herself, she has supported more than one hundred educators in advancing their academic qualifications. Zendi offers tuition subsidies and flexible scheduling to help teachers balance full-time responsibilities with further studies.

Interestingly, while many preschools reduce staffing to control costs, Zendi takes the opposite approach. Other principals often ask whether operating schools directly under the Education Bureau creates added pressure. Tai always gives the same answer: “When you take good care of teachers and children, there is nothing to fear.”

Enrollment numbers reinforce her point. Many Zendi campuses reach full capacity year after year, with parents lining up early to secure a spot. “Some families even track our registration dates months in advance,” Tai said.

Zendi Education Group partners with Century Green Tech High School to co-develop early childhood talent. (Photo: Zendi Education Group)
 

Gender Inclusion as a Source of Real Competitiveness

Both leaders openly acknowledge the challenges they face.

“In the machinery industry, stereotypes absolutely exist,” Su said. Early in her career, clients were visibly surprised when a woman introduced products. “But when our female colleagues answer technical questions with confidence—or operate complex machinery during demonstrations—their attitudes change immediately.”

In early childhood education, although women dominate the workforce, Tai sees another challenge: “People assume this is a naturally gender-friendly sector, but high empathy sometimes means a lack of business thinking.” Building a resilient organizational structure in such an environment requires deliberate leadership.

The outcomes speak for themselves. Zendi’s teacher turnover rate remains extremely low, and many educators stay for more than a decade. Nearly all campuses operate at full capacity, and parents frequently recommend the schools through word of mouth.

Rooted in Taoyuan: Building a Local Sustainability Network

The success of these two companies is not incidental; it reflects Taoyuan’s commitment to the principle of “starting local, moving forward together.”

KING’s Solution has been invited for three consecutive years to Taoyuan Senior High School and Nankan Senior High School to speak on “AI and Machinery,” helping students understand how traditional industries are evolving.

“I hope young girls no longer fear entering technical fields—their precision and creativity are exactly what the industry needs,” Su said.

Zendi Education Group strengthens the industry talent pipeline through partnerships with local universities, offering scholarships and guaranteed employment opportunities. Tai is also considering taking on a leadership role within Taoyuan’s preschool associations to share best practices and elevate overall industry standards.

From manufacturing to early education, from technical skills to human-centered care, Taoyuan’s enterprises are demonstrating that gender inclusion is not political correctness—it is a core driver of sustainable growth. As more organizations join this momentum, Taoyuan’s values of community, collaboration, and shared progress will continue shaping Taiwan’s future.

(Sponsored by the Department of Economic Development, Taoyuan City Government)