Taiwan-based LCD driver IC designers to adopt 12-inch processes soon
(older 12 inch fabs will move into "trailing" technology - my personal guess refurb equipment must be a bonanza)
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Ingrid Lee, Taipei; Willie Teng, DIGITIMES [Friday 12 November 2010]
LCD driver IC design houses will transition into 12-inch processes at the end of 2010 to the first quarter of 2011. Chipbond Technology is currently the only backend chip packager with gold bumping capability for 12-inch wafers, which has allowed it to dominate orders from Japan-based IC designers.
Encouraged by its Taiwan clients, fellow chip packager ChipMOS Technologies has revealed plans to add a 12-inch gold bumping production line in by the end of 2010.
At the moment, LCD driver ICs are mostly produced under 8-inch processes, but design houses in Japan and South Korea have begun the move into 12-inch, 0.11-micron technology to lower production costs.
Chipbond currently has two Japan-based customers for 12-inch gold bumping. With Taiwan-based driver IC designers also expected to adopt 12-inch technology in the coming months, Chipbond is expected to see more opportunities in the near future.
IC chip designers, however, are demanding ChipMOS sets up 12-inch capacity as well to diversify supply sources. ChipMOS will have monthly 12-inch gold bumping capacity of 10,000 units versus Chipbond's 15,000 units.
Chipbond's monthly shipments to the two Japan-based customers are around 7,000 units, which means utilization is under 50%. The company has no plans to ramp up capacity at the moment. With ChipMOS' entry, over supply could persist even with more Taiwan-based IC design houses adopting 12-inch technology.
Categories: Bits + chips IC design
Tags: 12-inch 2010 2011 bumping Chipbond ChipMOS design driver IC gold bumping IC LCD LCD driver LCD driver IC
Cleanroom equipment vendor Acter sees order backlog pile up
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Nancy Chen, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES [Friday 12 November 2010]
Cleanroom and turn-key equipment vendor Acter has seen its backlog of orders top over NT$4 billion (US$132.85 million), which will be fulfilled in the next 6-8 months, according to the company.
Demand for cleanroom equipment accounted for 40% of the orders, followed by chemical equipment at 30%, and biological, electrical and general engineering equipment each at 10%.
Acter will further strengthen its deployment in the China market in 2011 after the China government unveiled recently its 12th five-year economic plan, said the company, noting that revenues generated from the China market contributed to 25% of its consolidated revenues of NT$1.976 billion recorded in 2009.
For the first three quarters of 2010, Acter has posted consolidated revenues of NT$4.04 billion with a gross margin of 21.13% and an EPS of NT$14.28.
Baseball, football, soccer in 3 D? You bet - build it and they will buy it...
FPD International 2010: Samsung showcases 70-inch 240Hz UD 3D TV
becca Kuo, Makuhari; Yvonne Yu, DIGITIMES [Friday 12 November 2010]
Samsung Electronics is showcasing its 70-inch 240Hz UD 3D TV at the ongoing FPD International 2010 in Makuhari, Japan, from November 10 to 12.
The 3D TV features Oxide TFT which will improve the resolution of the 3D display. The 3D TV requires shutter glasses for viewing. |
