Taiwan-based LED chipmaker Epistar reported that the company's final target in Q3 of 2010 gross margin would keep at 35%,in spite of a demand slowdown from the LED-backlit TV segment. According to the company, the revenues of September would impair because it planed to adjust its shipment mix facing the slide forms. And Epistar hoped the share of blue LED capacity into September could reach 100% and red LEDs reach about 75~85%.

Following making incentives, On September 6, the Yangzhou government of China's Jiangsu Province will convene investors in Taipei in the filed of solar, LED lighting, e-book reader and smart-grid sectors. Some based-Taiwan makers, such as Amtran Technology, Unity Opto Technology, Formosa Epitaxy and the Far Eastern Business Group will attend the meeting.

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is scheduling to use LEDs to take the place of 800,000 working mercury streetlights. It will be worth of NT$22 billion (US$687 million), and be completed in 2011. When the project is completed, it estimated to cut down around 50% of electrical consumption from current level by mercury streetlights, according to senior MOEA officials.

More and more Taiwan Electric Manufacturing Company such as TSMC, UMC, AUO and MOEA, had entered green energy industry, which made more equipment suppliers are venturing into the production of equipment for the green energy industry. Now, some companies have ready started cost in equipment production for solar and LED applications, such as All Ring Tech, Csun Manufacturing, Gallant Precision Machining (GPM), Kenmec Mechanical Engineering and Mirle Automation.

Taiwan’s Lite-On Group hopes that its overall revenues can roughly grow 20-25% to reach NT$350-400 billion (US$10.93-12.5 billion) in 2013. According to the company, car components, LED and clean energy will garner NT$22 billion, NT$50 billion and NT$5 billion in revenues in 2013.

Taiwan’s Amtran Technology announced that its partner US-based LCD TV brand Vizio had released five M series edge-type LED-backlit LCD TVs in Taiwan. The five new inventions including five models, which from 32- to 55-inch, and the price is NT$27,900 (US$871.48) for 32-inch, NT$32,900 for 37-inch, NT$42,900 for 42-inch, NT$52,900 for 47-inch and NT$83,900 for 55-inch respectively.

Taiwan LED chipmaker Formosa Epitaxy has announced the income of 1H10. A gross margin is above 43.58% which is the highest among Taiwan LED chipmakers. The net profit reached NT$630 million (US$19.2 million) and revenues come to NT$2.096 billion, while EPS reached NT$1.85. In the 2Q of 2010, the strength of capacity expansion and being improved result in the strong result, while the company hope keep above the 40% level due to pay attention to LED lighting in the 3Q of 2010.

Taiwan’s LED chipmaker Arima Optoelectronics plans to build a new wholly-owned LED epitaxy manufacturing company in Wujiang of China's Jiangsu Province by investing US$30 million. According to Arima, the installment of new factory’s production facility will start at the end of 2010. It is expected to install 10 MOCVD sets, 10 more by mid-2011, and up to 150 sets in the next five years.

AU Optronics (AUO) expanded LED-backlit TV and monitor panels, TV panels cover from 24 -inch to 65-inch models, while monitor panels go up to as large as 27 inch. AUO noted that the proportion of LED-backlit Notebooks panels will be up to 100% at the end of this year. In addition, AUO is preparing for moving into 3D panels for TV, monitor and notebook. The company will release 65-inch 3D TV panels, 3D notebook panels and 23- and 27-inch 3D monitor panels in the next times.

Taiwan’s LED packaging company Unity Opto Technology reported the final finance result of the first half of 2010, which includes consolidated net profit of NT$661.728 million (US$20.65 million) with an EPS of NT$2.15. Consolidated revenues of Unity Opto is NT$3.906 billion and unconsolidated revenues is NT$3.25 billion.

According to the executive of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), TSMC will hire 500-600 staff, mostly R&D-focused engineers, for the construction of a new fab at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) to produce thin-film solar PV modules, with volume production expected to kick off in 2011. Recently, for the new businesses, TSMC's board of directors decided to invest US$319.6 million. Construction on the facility began in March, and the equipment move-in for its LED fab at the Hsinchu Science Park on schedule of September.

Taiwan’s No.1 LED chipmaker Epistar Inc. is reportedly to will sign a patent cross-licensing agreement with its Japanese counterparts Nichia or Toyoda Gousei in a bid to further boost earnings and revenue. Once the deal is concluded Taiwan’s LED industry would see its price/earnings ratio surge to at least 20 folds as a whole from current 15 folds or so, according to the industry executives estimated.

Taiwan’s LED chipmaker Lextar Electronics is expanding its production capability in September in order to adopt  MOCVD machines for 6-inch epitaxial wafers, which made Lextar may be the first LED chip maker in Taiwan with such equipmentmake. Lextar pointed out that its September capacity is expected to reach 90,000 wafers and 750 million LED chips. At the end of the year, the company plans to have a capacity of 130,000 wafers per month and 850 million LED chips.

2Q Gross Margin 28.7% 2010 First-half EPS NT$2.02

Featuring flexible printed circuit (FPC) board, Edison Opto has introduced a new lighting strip compliant with IP68 waterproofed grade for the demanding outdoor applications. The flexible substrate allows for a maximum curling angle up to 60 and enables application for installation around rounded, restricted cabinet spaces.

The new assignment further strengthens the company's international senior management team and ensures continuing improvement of its efforts to expand in the LED lighting markets.

Based on the industry researcher LEDinside’s analysis and statistics, in July this year, listed LED manufacturers in Taiwan have total revenue of 10.853 billion NTD, a 2.7% growth compared with June revenue of 10.56 billion NTD and 80% rise YoY. The revenue for LED chip manufacturers in July reached 4.97 billion NTD, up 7.6% from June. The revenue for LED package manufacturers in July amounted to 5.88 billion NTD, down 1.1% from June.

Recently, panel manufacturers have been concerned about the excess inventory, triggering uncertainty toward demand for LED TV backlight. LEDinside’s survey showed that Korean panel vendors have started to save LED inventory since the end of 2009. Therefore, when facing the slack season, they hit the brake for LED procurement in advance. Taiwan-based panel manufacturers have formally adopted large quantities of LED backlight products; AUO is the fastest of all at this stage, creating short supply for its LED plant Lextar.  

AIXTRON AG today announced the move of its South Taiwan Office into its new facilities in Tainan Tree Valley, next to the Tainan Science Based Industrial Park.

Edison Opto expands its product portfolio with the newly developed EdiPower® II series.

Based on the industry research LEDinside’s analysis and statistics, in May this year, listed LED manufacturers in Taiwan have total revenue of 9.65 billion NTD (~USD300 million, at USD 1: NTD 32.235), a 6.8% growth compared with revenue of 9.033 billion NTD (~USD280 million, at USD 1: NTD 32.235) in April, and 85.5% in annual growth rate. The revenue for LED chip manufacturers in May amounted to 4.273 billion NTD (~USD133 million, at USD 1: NTD 32.235) , which increased 6% compared to that of April.

 

As the application with LED streetlight module gradually becomes a global trend, Edison Opto has introduced four LED streetlight modules satisfying various roadway requirements.

LEDforum China 2010, held by research institution LEDinside, debuted today. World-class speakers are invited to share professional points of view, analyze trends and challenges of the LED industry, and introduce the latest lighting technology. Over 1000 participants from the industry, government, and academia circles have all gathered at the forum.

Genesis Photonics Inc. has signed a pact to co-open LED-chip manufacturing venture at a total investment of US$200 million in cooperation with the Kunshan city government of mainland China . The joint venture is designed to zero in on the mainland’s lucrative LED-lighting market with its ultra-bright chips and lighting modules,and the city government will hold a 51% stake.

Achieving the brightness of 630lm (90lm/W), HPLighting developed its new generation of 7W LED light bulb using its Cu substrate high power LED packaging technology. 

Taiwan No.1 LED chipmakers Epistar Inc. pay over NT$8.6 billion for a 47.88% stake in Huga Optotech Inc to boost strength of Taiwan’s LED industry. Epistar will acquire the Huga shareholding through stock swap, with an Epistar share for 2.23 Huga shares, and cash pay combined.

TREND LIGHTING CORP., invested by Formosa group and Yulong Group, has presented a brand-new product, SKYLIGHT series, 30W floodlight with high power NICHIA LED inside by adopting street light fixture design experiences including second optical, waterproof, and dustproof. With 1800 lumen output, SKYLIGHT series is specified to replace 100W mercury light and the energy saving is up to 70%.

Taiwan’s TV brands as Tatung, Teco, Chimei, BenQ and Heran will introduce new LED-backlit TVs to meet expected surging demand in the second half of 2010.

Computex Taipei 2010, the largest B2B professional computer exhibition in Asia and the second largest in the world, will be held at the Taipei World Trade Center from June 1 to June 5 2010. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sunon, which also coincides with the 30th anniversary of Computex Taipei.