Commentary: Challenges and strategies of China LED firms

Oct 2, 14:54

China's government has been providing subsidies to help its domestic LED industry. Some firms have been benefitting but others remain in limbo amid rapid product price falls.

Taiwan, China LED industries facing shuffle, says Epistar chairman

Oct 1, 11:04

The LED industry has been seeing rising sales but profitability has been decreasing in 2012. Biing-Jye Lee, chairman of Taiwan-based LED chipmaker Epistar, noted that total revenue...

Taiwan market: Improvements in exports, financial market to boost growth momentum, says CEPD

Sep 28, 11:43

Although Taiwan's economy remains in a slowdown, a pick-up in export sales and improvements made in the financial and private consumption sectors in September 2012 will help boost...

Commentary: Island dispute delays multi-lateral FTA between China, Japan, and South Korea

Sep 28, 10:58

The recent island disputes between Japan and China, and Japan and South Korea are likely to delay the formation of a multi-lateral free trade agreement (FTA) between the three countries...

Taiwan government to extend subsidies for procuring LED light bulbs

Sep 28, 01:20

The Taiwan government plans to increase 2012 energy-saving subsidies from the original NT$700 million (US$23 million) to NT$1.4 billion, according to Yen-Shiang Shih, Minister of...

Taiwan to not hike minimum monthly wages in 2013

Sep 27, 16:04

Taiwan's labor minister Wang Ju-hsuan has offered his resignation after the Executive Yuan (Cabinet) decided to postpone a plan proposed by the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) to raise...

Digitimes Research: China-based Elec-Tech ramping up LED chip capacity

Sep 27, 14:20

China-based Elec-Tech's LED revenues have been increasig, with the business segement's contribution reaching around 32% of total revenues in first-half 2012. A further breakdown shows...

Taiwan economy looks to bottom out, says think tank

Sep 27, 14:05

There are signs indicating that Taiwan's economy may bottom out soon amid an easing of global economic uncertainty, as the sentiment in its manufacturing sector has improved and the...

40W retrofit LED light bulb retail prices fall below US$10/unit

Sep 27, 13:49

The global LED light bulb retail pricing has been falling steadily. According to studies, the price of 40W retrofit LED light bulbs dropped on average by 2.2% to US$19/unit in August...

Solar market to return to stability in February 2013, says SAS chairman

Sep 27, 01:10

MK Lu, chairman of Taiwan-based solar wafer and LED sapphire substrate maker Sino-American Silicon (SAS), has indicated that the solar market will return to stability around February...

Unity Opto begins construction of Beijing plant

Sep 26, 15:43

Taiwan-based LED packaging house Unity Opto began construction of its plant in Beijing on September 25, 2012. The plant will be operated by the firm's Beijing subsidiary and expects...

I-Chiun sees rising revenues from TV backlight modules

Sep 26, 15:11

Taiwan-based LED lead frame maker, I-Chiun Precision Industry, has been seeing revenue growth due to increasing sales of LED light bar modules for direct-lit LED TVs. Demand for TV...

Tekcore may suffer continued net loss in 2012

Sep 25, 01:30

Taiwan-based LED epitaxial wafer and chip maker Tekcore, suffered a net loss in 2011 and is likely to see continued net losses in 2012 due to large depreciation costs for its 11 4-inch...

Taiwan August manufacturing production index up on month, year

Sep 24, 16:26

Taiwan recorded a manufacturing production index (2006 as base year) of 139.43 for August 2012, increasing 2.02% on month and 1.80% on year, according to statistics released by the...

Everlight, Epistar conservative about investments from China

Sep 24, 14:58

Taiwan's Executive Yuan has been discussing the possibility of increasing the investment limit of China-based funds to Taiwan's LED industry. According to Robert Yeh, chairman of...

Taiwan August unemployment rate slightly up sequentially

Sep 24, 13:40

Taiwan had 502,000 jobless citizens in August 2012, equivalent to an unemployment rate of 4.4% rising 0.09pp on month but falling 0.05pp on year, according to statistics released...

Scientech sees increasing 1H12 gross margin due to sales growth of in-house produced equipment

Sep 21, 10:32

Equipment maker Scientech noted that the firm's share in high-end LED wet bench processes has exceeded 50%. The firm expects the LED market to continue expanding. Scientech's new...

Taiwan attracts January-August foreign direct investment of over US$3 billion

Sep 21, 10:19

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) approved 1,642 foreign direct investment projects (except from China) with a total value of US$3.081 billion in January-August 2012, respectively...

Everlight reportedly demands managers take 3-days non-paid leave

Sep 21, 01:40

Despite increasing orders in the third quarter, gross margin among Taiwan-based LED makers has been falling significantly. LED packaging house Everlight has reportedly asked employees...

Rising sapphire ingot demand to boost Acme 3Q12 sales

Sep 21, 01:30

Acme Electronics is expected to report flat or slight sequential growth in consolidated revenues for the third quarter of 2012, buoyed by rising sales generated by sapphire ingot-making...

Taiwan August export order value up slightly sequentially

Sep 21, 01:00

Taiwan received export orders worth US$36.15 billion in total in August 2012, increasing by 0.6% on month but decreasing by 1.5% on year, according to statistics released by the Ministry...

Digitimes Research: Samsung LED 2012 revenues to reach KRW2.5 trillion

Sep 20, 15:50

Samsung Electronics and Samsung Electro-Mechanics each invested 50% to set up Samsung LED. In April 2012, Samsung LED merged into the Device Solutions business unit within Samsung...

Backlight demand for large-size products continues to be strong, says Epistar

Sep 19, 15:37

Starting September 2012, demand for AlGaInP LED has been weakening, according to LED chipmaker Epistar. Nevertheless, the firm added, demand for backlight applications is still strong,...

Taiwan market: Deferred hikes in power price to have little impact on growth in LED lighting

Sep 18, 01:20

In response to the government's decision to postpone an increase in power prices originally scheduled for the December 10, 2012, Taiwan-based LED chip packaging company Everlight...

MOCVD equipment price falling

Sep 17, 10:50

The upstream LED chip market has been in oversupply causing the price of MOCVD equipment to drop 30-40% compared to the price two years ago.

Lextar to merge with Wellypower

Sep 14, 01:25

Taiwan-based LED maker Lextar, a subsidiary of AU Optronics (AUO), on September 13, 2012 announced plans to merge with Wellypower, a CCFL maker affiliated with AUO. Lextar will be...

Taiwan LED firms hope to install LED lighting in northeast China

Sep 13, 01:30

Taiwan-based LED firms such as Epistar, Formosa Epitaxy, Delta Electronics, Leotek, and Harvatek are heading to Harbin, a northeastern city in China to discuss the possibility of...

Commentary: Taiwan economic revival program lacks substance

Sep 12, 14:49

Taiwan's Executive Yuan (Cabinet) has announced a five-point program aiming to invigorate its flagging economy. Prior to the announcement, all segments of society were expecting the...

Sapphire substrate makers report mixed August revenues

Sep 12, 14:12

Sapphire substrate firms such as Crystalwise and Crystal Applied have both reported on-month decreases in August revenues. Crystalwise saw August revenues fall to NT$90 million (US$3.04...

Formosa Epitaxy may enlist China investors

Sep 10, 11:52

Taiwan-based LED chipmaker Formosa Epitaxy will continue expanding capacity, according to company chairman Frank Chien. The firm has been considering the possibility of enlisting...

Digitimes Research: Demand for MOCVD equipment in China to account for 68% of total global demand in 2012

Sep 7, 13:58

Digitimes Research predicts Asia-based firms will take up 90% of market demand for MOCVD equipment in 2012, an increase of 10 basis points compared to 2011. In particular, equipment...

Lextar obtains LM-79, LM-80 accreditation

Sep 6, 17:06

Lextar Electronics, a Taiwan-based LED epitaxial wafer and chip maker and provider of LED chip packaging services, on September 5 announced that its Photometric Laboratory has been...