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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (39180)	11/7/2000 9:46:06 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

Taiwan's Digital Camera Makers Upgrade Production Lines November 7, 2000 (TAIPEI) -- The production of digital cameras in Taiwan is expected to grow by between 7 percent and 10 percent to around 500,000 units this year, compared with around 418,000 units last year. According to statistics from the Optoelectronics and Systems Laboratories of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, local leading manufacturers, having made 0.35M pixel digital cameras since 1997, are to introduce new prototype digital cameras next year. The OESL predicted that companies would need a paid-in capitalization of more than NT$200 million (about US$6.2 million) for its new production lines. Most of the emphasis of the industry earlier was put on the production of 0.35M pixel and 0.8M pixel cameras, the entry-level models. Local producers went on to focus on models of at least 1M pixels more recently to challenge the high-end market. Industry analysts now expect manufacturers to devote intensive and cost-effective research and development efforts to produce more high profile products. This strategy should benefit local suppliers in facing the intense competition of the United States and Japan. An industry analyst forecast that the global market for digital cameras is expected to reach more than 10 million units in 2001. Japan will remain the world's leading producer in this business field. To gain a larger share of the market from Japan and other major producing countries, Taiwan's digital camera makers have already lowered production costs and developed more sophisticated products in recent years. In addition, local major makers have engaged in efforts to establish more overseas production facilities and sales networks near their major market areas to diversify their market. Following the example of their electronics counterparts, several digital cameras makers have also visited China in recent months to explore the possibility of investing in China. (Commercial Times, Taiwan)