Taiwan color filter producers increase shipments in January

Benefiting from increasing demand from TFT LCD producers, Taiwanese color filter (CF) producers increased their shipments in January and expect strong shipments to continue to the second quarter.

Sintek Photronic, which last September began volume production at its second line, a fourth-generation (4G) line with an 80,000-substrate monthly capacity, firmly took its lead among Taiwanese CF producers. Though 15 and 17-inch CFs took a 50:50 split in its January shipments, Sintek chairman Si-chung Chang predicted the mix would shift to 30:70 later this year.

Toppan CFI (Taiwan), which began CF production last August, surpassed Allied Material Technology Corporation (AMTC) to move into second place. The company is installing equipment for its 5G line, which will initially process 40,000 substrates per month of either 1,100×1,250mm or 1,100×1,300mm size, and has scheduled volume production to begin in May.

AMTC, which began installing equipment for a 4G CF line of 90,000-substrate monthly capacity in December, has scheduled volume production at the line to begin in April.

Finally, Cando plans to launch a new share issue to raise money to expand its production line, which has already reached its limit. Affected by the market downturn, the company abandoned its new share issue last year.

Source: companies, compiled by DigiTimes, February 2003.

Article translated by Shih-wei Kao and edited by Richard So