26 Taiwanese firms make Forbes 200 Best SMEs list

Taiwanese enterprises were the second largest group, by country, to be included in Forbes Asia magazine’s Asia’s 200 Best Under a Billion list of small and medium-sized companies, Taiwanese media said Tuesday, citing the magazine’s online special report.

This year, 26 Taiwanese companies made it onto the list, an increase of three from last year. Companies under a billion refer to those with annual revenues of less than $1 billion.

The listed Taiwanese companies’ fields of business are diverse, according to the Taiwan Today newspaper. They include construction and manufacturing of health foods, optical lenses, bearings, high-end textiles, signal connectors and bicycles, in addition to electronics and information and communications technology, for which Taiwan is well-known.

Taiwan's service sector businesses that made the final cut include Lungyen Life Service Corp., a funeral specialist, the newspaper said. Lungyen and its founder David Lee were singled out by Forbes Asia as the topic of its Aug. 12 issue cover story.

Lungyen's 20-story columbarium in northwestern Taiwan doubles as a repository for ashes of the deceased and a venue for funeral gatherings, providing amenities such as communal dining areas and child care services on each floor, the Taiwan Today said.