For over three decades, Dell Technologies Taiwan has grown exponentially, expanding its team from a modest 40 members to a formidable force of approximately 2,200 skilled professionals. At the center of Dell Technologies Taiwan operation is the Taiwan Design Center (TDC), which has undergone a remarkably transformational journey of 20 years to become a business-critical operation that supports Dell Technologies global strategy. Notably, almost all of Dell Technologies consumer notebooks and desktops are designed in Taiwan.
Victor Chuang, vice president and site leader of Dell Technologies Taiwan Design Center, attributes TDC’s success to several factors. Taiwan’s strategic location, close proximity to design and technology partners, a burgeoning market, and government support through programs with the Ministry of Economic Affairs have been instrumental, he says. Moreover, Taiwan boasts a unique talent pool that has been a driving force behind TDC’s accomplishments.
Chuang emphasizes Dell Technologies role as a ICT industry leader, significantly shaping Taiwan’s technology sector. “We’ve not only shared the latest technology but also future investment needs,” he says, noting the crucial role played by automation and digitization, which Dell Technologies has embraced alongside Taiwan’s ODM industry.
Vivian Tai, lead of Global Regulations, Standards, and Sustainability Strategy of Dell Technologies Taiwan, notes that Dell Technologies also uses its influence to pioneer efforts in sustainability. Long before the term ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) gained prominence, Dell Technologies championed sustainable business practices.
“Since Michael Dell founded the company, he’s believed in business making a positive impact on society and the planet,” Tai says. Dell Technologies began its recycling program for consumers in 1997 and was first in its industry to use recycled plastics in its products in 2007. This early emphasis on sustainability laid the foundation for numerous industry-first achievements between 2010 and 2020.
Dell Technologies’ efforts during the past decade include incorporating reclaimed carbon fiber, waterborne paint, and closed-loop materials into products. Since 2017, Dell Technologies’ packaging materials have been crafted from ocean-bound plastics, and since 2020, its backpacks have contained materials sourced from recycled windshields. The company also proudly utilizes certified recycled steel, aluminum, bioplastics, low-emissions aluminum, and recycled copper.
Tai underscores that these accomplishments were made possible through collaboration with industry peers and partners across various sectors. She attributes these achievements to the innovative thinking cultivated at the TDC, fostering “out-of-the-box thinking.”
Dell Technologies operates under four ESG pillars: advancing sustainability, cultivating inclusion, transforming lives, and upholding trust. It aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its Scope 1, 2, and 3 supply chains by 2050. More ambitiously, Dell Technologies has set three circular economy goals to be reached by 2030.
Within seven years, Dell Technologies aims to ensure that for every metric ton of products purchased by customers, one metric ton will be reused or recycled. Additionally, over half of all product components will be made from recycled or renewable materials. Impressively, the third goal, making 100% of packaging from recycled or renewable materials, has already been achieved.
Dell Technologies and the TDC approach design with a comprehensive lifecycle perspective, meticulously considering every phase of a product’s life – from conception and production to utilization, recovery, and recycling.
“We want to ensure that our designs adhere to the highest global energy standards and the most stringent requirements,” Tai says. “By engaging our entire supply chain, we’re not only improving ourselves but also empowering our suppliers in achieving their ESG goals as well as our customers, who can purchase sustainable products.”
A shining example of this approach is Concept Luna, a future vision for laptop design that pushes reuse to the limit and could dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of Dell Technologies products. Engineered with sustainable materials and optimized for energy efficiency, the Concept Luna notebook boasts extraordinary ease of repair.
“The goal is to build a product with easily replaceable parts,” says Chuang. By reducing the number of screws needed to access internal components from hundreds to just four, Dell Technologies has reduced the repair time of this laptop by around one and a half hours. “We reckon we’ll be able to prolong the lifecycle of this product from three or four years to seven or even eight.”
On the social front, Dell Technologies Taiwan collaborates with the non-profit organization Teach For Taiwan (TFT), which focuses on providing training to underprivileged students in rural areas. Beyond financial support, Dell Technologies has partnered with TFT to build 5 learning centers for elementary schools in Pingtung and Hualien equipping students with essential tools for learning.
“We’re planning to build more Dell Technologies Learning Centers together with TFT in the coming years,” says Tai. “Students in the rural parts of Taiwan experienced educational inequality during the pandemic when many were affected by not having access to devices for remote learning. That really amplified the importance of equal access to technology for us.”
As the Taiwan Design Center celebrates its 20th anniversary, it is doing so with a renewed commitment to deepen its ties with Taiwanese society. The center actively supports women in tech groups and champions LGBTQIA+ rights, exemplifying Dell Technologies dedication to making a meaningful impact beyond business success.