Taiwan`s major LED chipmakers ,such as Epistar Corp., Formosa Epitaxy Inc. , Genesis Photonics Inc., Lextar Electronics Corp., are expanding output to meet the LED supply explosively increasing supply challenge this year.

Epistar Corp., has agreed private placements of less than 300 million shares, hoping raise nearly NT$26 billion in cash.

Formosa Epitaxy Inc. intended to issue about 150 million new shares domestically for expansion, or issue global depository receipts (GDRs) or launch private placements at home and abroad, to raise around NT$6.4 billion in cash.

Genesis Photonics Inc. has been expanding production capacities at its factories in Taiwan and mainland China. Shareholders will discuss a plan on issuing less than 100 million new shares for capital increment at an annual shareholders` meeting slated for June 30.Besides.The company has built its second plant in Tainan, southern Taiwan, since early May, and will finish installing 10 sets of MOCVD equipment in the new plant by the end of this year, adding to the number of its own MOCVD equipment to 53.

AU Optronics Corp.`s affiliate Lextar Electronics Corp. will also issue less than 50 million shares to support capacity expansion at its factories in Taiwan and mainland China this year.