Fair Friend Group

Fair Friend Group (FFG) is a Taiwanese machine-tool conglomerate founded in 1979 by Chu Chih-lien (Jimmy Chu). Headquartered in Taichung, Taiwan, the group grew from a local machine-tool builder into one of the world's largest machine-tool groups by acquiring and operating a portfolio of machine-tool and industrial-equipment brands across Taiwan, mainland China, Europe and the United States. Its product range covers machining centers, CNC lathes, grinding machines, EDM machines, and other metal-cutting and metal-forming equipment, serving automotive, aerospace, electronics, mold-and-die, and general engineering customers. FFG is best known for its multi-brand strategy. Rather than operating under a single brand, the group owns and manages a family of machine-tool brands — including Taiwanese names such as Feeler and European names acquired over the years — each with its own product focus and customer base. This portfolio approach lets FFG offer a broad range of machine tools and turnkey manufacturing solutions while preserving the brand identity and distribution channels of the acquired companies. The group's expansion has been driven largely by mergers and acquisitions, particularly in Europe, where it acquired established machine-tool makers to gain technology, engineering talent and market access. FFG also operates production and assembly facilities in Taiwan and mainland China, and maintains sales and service networks in major industrial markets. Its scale and breadth have made it a notable player in the global machine-tool industry, and it is often cited among the largest machine-tool groups worldwide by revenue. Fair Friend Group remains privately held and family-influenced, with founder Jimmy Chu serving as a long-time chairman and public face of the group. The company continues to position itself as a provider of high-precision, high-efficiency machine tools and smart-manufacturing solutions, responding to trends such as automation, Industry 4.0, and electric-vehicle manufacturing.

Fair Friend Group was founded in 1979 in Taiwan by Chu Chih-lien, known in English as Jimmy Chu. Starting as a machine-tool builder, the company grew through a combination of organic expansion and an aggressive acquisition strategy. During the 1980s and 1990s, Taiwan's machine-tool industry expanded rapidly as global manufacturing demand grew, and Fair Friend established itself as a significant domestic producer. The group's defining strategy emerged as it began acquiring other machine-tool brands, both in Taiwan and abroad. By assembling a portfolio of brands rather than consolidating everything under one name, FFG could serve different market segments and preserve the customer relationships and distribution networks of acquired companies. This approach accelerated in the 2000s and 2010s, when FFG acquired several European machine-tool manufacturers, gaining access to advanced technology, engineering expertise and established European customer bases. FFG's acquisitions in Europe included well-known machine-tool names, and the group also expanded its manufacturing footprint in mainland China to serve the fast-growing Chinese market. The group became one of the largest machine-tool groups in the world by revenue, with a presence in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Its product range expanded to cover machining centers, lathes, grinding machines, EDM equipment and other metalworking machinery. In recent years, FFG has focused on smart manufacturing, automation and Industry 4.0 technologies, integrating sensors, software and connectivity into its machine tools. The group has also targeted growth in electric-vehicle and aerospace manufacturing, where demand for high-precision machining is strong. Fair Friend Group remains privately held, with founder Jimmy Chu continuing to lead as chairman.

• 2020

  FFG focuses on smart manufacturing, automation and Industry 4.0 solutions.

• 2010

  FFG expands European presence through acquisitions of established machine-tool manufacturers.

• 2000

  FFG accelerates multi-brand acquisition strategy, acquiring machine-tool brands in Taiwan and abroad.

• 1979

  Fair Friend Group founded in Taiwan by Chu Chih-lien (Jimmy Chu).

Multi-brand global machine-tool group offering a broad portfolio of precision machine tools and manufacturing solutions.

• Machining centers

• CNC lathes

• Grinding machines

• EDM machines

• Metal-cutting machine tools

• Metal-forming machine tools

1. 1Fair Friend Group official websiteffg-net.com