Hong Kong-based Cotco licenses white LED technology from Cree

Cotco International, a Hong Kong-based LED maker, recently signed an agreement with Cree to source the US vendor’s blue InGaN (indium gallium nitride) LED chips and license Cree’s patented phosphor conversion technology to produce white-LED chips, the company stated.

The licensing agreement is aimed to benefit Cotco’s overall revenues and ASP (average selling price) this year, as the technology will help it lower its packaging costs, the company explained.

Cotco launched its Dorado high-power packaging technology with amber, blue, green and red phosphors in October of last year, and by the end of the year, the LED maker was shipping products in volume to Japan and the US, targeting applications such as outdoor displays, traffic signals, large-size game consoles and supplementary lighting.

Cotco currently has one production base in Huizhou (Guangdong Province, China) and the company noted that capacity will expand to 75 million units this year, up from 50-60 million units currently.

In addition to sourcing blue LED chips from Cree, Cotco sources AlGaInP (aluminum gallium indium phosphide) LED chips from Taiwan-based Epistar, Cotco noted.

In 2005, Cotco projects it will generate revenues of US$80-100 million, of which 20% will come from shipments of high-power LEDs, the company stated.

Source: company, compiled by DigiTimes, May 2005.

Source: company, compiled by DigiTimes, May 2005.

Article translated by Jessie Shen and edited by Michael McManus