As Intel is aggressively promoting ultrabooks with end prices of US$699, sources from the supply chain pointed out that PC brand vendors are turning to adopt glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis for their ultrabooks in order to control costs, attracting metal chassis makers such as Catcher Technology and Ju Teng to both reportedly enter the glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis business.
In addition to Mitac Precision, which has already been producing glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis, Ju Teng will start supplying its chassis to Acer with mass production already started in April, while Catcher has already sent samples to its brand partners for evaluation.
Each piece of glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis is US$5-10 cheaper than a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis, allowing a notebook with glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis to save up to US$20 in cost and be US$50-100 cheaper in end price.
Meanwhile, as glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis can be produced through automation, the production method can save makers costs in labor as labor costs in China have been rising each year, providing the method a strong advantage.
Sources from chassis makers also pointed out production capacity of metal chassis is limited and is higher in cost, and so metal chassis will be mainly used in high-end product lines.
In addition to fiber glass reinforced plastic chassis, Ju Teng has also been aggressively developing carbon fiber chassis and has reportedly already landed orders from Sony and Dell; however, Ju Teng has declined to comment about its clients or orders.
New ultrabooks to adopt glass fiber reinforced plastic chassis to lower costs
Photo: Michael Lee, Digitimes file photo
Article translated by Joseph Tsai
