Recent news from the Chinese-language newspapers.
LCD backlight unit maker Radiant cuts workforce 10%
With its capacity moving to China, Taiwan-based BLU maker Radiant Opto-Electronics recently reduced its staff in Kaohsiung by 200, according to the company. Currently, the BLU maker has a staff of 2,000 in Taiwan and 3000 in China.
Prices for 37-inch LCD TVs to fall 5-7% in 2006
With the 37-inch LCD TV segment expected to become the mainstream this year, Taiwan-based polarizer makers expect that prices for the 37-inch segment will drop 5-7% this year as capacity expands. [DigiTimes]
TSMC claims to be ready for 22nm production
TSMC claims that its self-developed immersion lithography could produce wafers on 22nm node. TSMC is also confident that its lithography technology can shrink the process to 19nm. However, when considering actual demand and costs, 19nm production should only emerge after 2010. [EDN, Jan 13]
US-based memory module house PDP to establish plant in Taiwan
The company plans to construct the plant and a maintenance center in Taiwan this year. The company expects its sales to Taiwan to increase from last year's NT$500m and reach NT$1.2b, this year, with a growing contribution coming from NAND. Its NAND sales proportion in Taiwan is 18%, while it is under 10% in the US. [DigiTimes]
Taiwan market: Tatung aims to almost double its FPD TV in Jan
After reporting its Dec LCD TV sales hit 5.1k (3.7k LCD TVs, 1.4k PDP TVs), Tatung aims to boost its LCD and PDP TV sales to 9k during by the upcoming Chinese New Year. The company aims to ship 32- and 37-inch LCD TVs and 42-inch PDP TVs during this period. [EDN, Jan 13]
MStar Semiconductor grabs 40% of LCD controller IC market in 2005
Although MStar is still not listed on the TSE, its revenues exceeded NT$5b last year and its share price has shot over NT$500. Sources indicated that LCD controller ICs, and ADCs for CRT TVs were the two chief revenue drivers of the company last year. RFID ICs should also serve as a new focus for the company this year. [Commercial Times, Jan 13]
Chip Hope confident about 2006 profits amid ramping MicroSD card shipments
The memory module house expects monthly memory card shipments to reach 300k this year and EPS to exceed 2005's NT$1. The company claims it has landed growing low-density MicroSD card orders from China handset vendors and it has started shipping 256MB MicroSD cards. [DigiTimes]
HannStar announces complete ownership of Hannspree
After approving to invest NT$750m for the in-house LCD assembling at Hannspree, HannStar today announced that Hannspree is now a 100% own subsidiary company. [MOPS, Jan 13]
Blank wafer prices up 5% at least amid heat solar cell demand
Buoyed from strong solar cell demand, blank 8-inch wafer prices have been up 5-10% while 12-inch are up 5% to reach US$50-60 and US$200-200, respectively. [Apple Daily, Jan 13]
TSMC and UMC to commence mass production of analog IC in 2006
After developing Bipolar CMOS DMOS (BCD) processes for two years, UMC will start volume producing analog IC this quarter, with Aimtron as one of the customers. TSMC will also partner with design houses including Richtek for related products. Both foundries will produce a volume of one 6-inch fab equiv. capacity for analog IC at the initial stage. [Commercial Times, Jan 13]
Taiwan-based Eten and Telepaq to develop PDA phone products in 2006
Eten Information Systems and Telepaq Technology, two Taiwan-based handheld device makers, are set to launch PDA phone products this year, as well as provide handset-related software. Eten has developed three PDA phones supporting the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 OS for the Europe, Middle East and Asia markets. Telepaq plans to launch Wi-Fi and 3G models by 3Q and is seeking label-deal business in China and Malaysia. [DigiTimes]
Acer founder ventures into leisure industry, establishing Gary Player Asia
Stan Shih, founder and ex-chairman of Acer, yesterday signed a partnership agreement with the Gary Player Foundation, Black Knight International, to co-market Gary Player-branded sports items in the Greater China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia regions. Shih and Black Knight each initially invested US$1 million in Gary Player Asia. Shih will be appointed as the company chairman. [DigiTimes]
CyberTan vice president resigns
Stanley Wang, who has been instrumental in pushing Taiwan’s involvement in the IEEE802.16 standard, recently resigned from his post as vice president of CyberTAN. Wang is now working at Quanta Computer, to assist the notebook maker's WiMAX-related product development. [DigiTimes]
Article edited by Michael McManus
