Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission recently approved Epistar and FOREPI’s merger.

According to the commission the merger application met requirements under Article 6 of Taiwan’s Fair Trade Act, and does not obstruct market competition.

Epistar and FOREPI’s merger was classified by the commission as horizontal integration, due to their overlapping business in LED EPI-wafer and LED chip sectors.

Taiwan’s LED industry exports most of its products, and with more than 20 manufacturers in the industry market competition is very intense. Each manufacturer has differentiated their product to meet various market applications, and have implemented very different business strategies. Thus, the commission found Epistar’s absorption of FOREPI would not pose any significant obstacles in market competition.

Most industry insiders in Taiwan have supported Epistar and FOREPI’s merge. The integration between the two companies is expected to lower production costs and will boost Taiwan’s LED industry’s competitiveness in the global market.