TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tom McDevitt, chair of the Washington Times, and his wife, Chiu-fen McDevitt, visited I-Mei Foods Co.’s factory in Taoyuan’s Longtan District on Friday, touring its food production lines, energy-saving systems, and drone testing facilities.
The couple received a warm welcome with a banner from I-Mei partner 7A Drones. After the greetings concluded, a demonstration showcased the company's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or UAV, applications for agriculture.
During the visit, I-Mei unveiled two large drones currently under development. According to the company, the UAVs are designed for applications such as search and rescue, cargo transport, and container delivery.
The McDevitts also visited I-Mei’s Bong-Khang Wind Tunnel, a facility built to test UAVs under extreme weather conditions, including cold, heat, wind, and rain. The 45-meter-long, 5-meter-wide tunnel also features a track designed to test robotic dogs on challenging terrain, such as pebbles, gravel, sand, mud, and water.
Digiforen Technology Co., I-Mei’s partner, presented its chip security inspection technology for drones and their key components during the visit. The McDevitts also toured the tech company's UAV cybersecurity testing laboratory.
The tour included a stop at I-Mei’s ice storage system, made up of five silos ranging from 9 to 21 meters in height. The facility produces ice using off-peak electricity and stores it for use in daytime air conditioning, thereby helping to reduce energy consumption.
The McDevitts sampled I-Mei’s freeze-dried snacks and learned about the company’s vacuum freeze dryer system. The equipment, which includes a 45-meter-long, 2.5-meter-wide freezing chamber, uses low-temperature freezing, vacuum drying, and ice sublimation to remove more than 90% of moisture while preserving flavor, color, and nutrients. The couple praised the taste of the freeze-dried blueberries.
The tour also featured a visit to I-Mei’s plant extract laboratory, where the primary focus is extracting nutrients from ingredients like soybeans and sesame to produce health supplements.
I-Mei Foods CEO Luis Ko (高志明) shared the company's history and emphasized its commitment to food safety and continued investment in modernizing its equipment.
He highlighted the growing ties between Taiwan and the US and expressed hope for expanded bilateral collaboration. Ko also noted plans for a drone application and talent training project aimed at strengthening the development of UAVs.
7A Drones CEO Dwayne Hsu (許新勝), along with Chelpis CEO Chih Ming-yang (池明洋), another of I-Mei’s partners, also gave overviews of their companies' core technologies and operations.
McDevitt said he was grateful for the visit and praised the factory for its automation and commitment to food safety. He emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between Taiwan and the US as democratic allies. He also acknowledged the company's comprehensive development, noting its achievements in the food industry and the drone sector.
The Washington Times, established in 1982, is a daily newspaper headquartered in Washington, DC. It covers news across a range of categories and is available in print and digital editions.
*I-Mei is the parent company of Taiwan News
