Taiwan-based Laster Tech has been tapping China's LED automotive lighting product markets, and has become a supplier of LED automotive lighting modules for the three largest China-based automobile makers as well as car factories set up by US-, Europe- and Japan-based car makers, according to the company.
Laster Tech has been adopting LED chips supplied by international producers including Philips Lumileds and Osram to make LED automotive lighting modules for as long as 10 years, the company indicated.
While China became the world's largest car market in 2011, and sales in 2012 are estimated at 18.98 million cars, penetration of LED car lighting in the market is low because certification by car makers is strict and the car-use lighting supply chain in China is an ecosystem characterized by incomplete market competition, Laster Tech said.
Laster Tech shipped a total of 3.63 billion LED automotive lighting units during January-October 2012 in the China market, the company noted. Currently, Laster Tech has a China market share of 20% for taillights and daytime-running light, each, and is developing LED headlights with an expected China market share of 10% in 2013-2015, the company indicated.
Laster Tech is undertaking 30-40 cases of LED automotive lighting development, with production to successively begin in 2013-2014. In order to meet expected demand, Laster Tech is expanding production capacity in China, including eight assembly lines in Shanghai, and two in southern China, the company pointed out. The overall utilization of production capacity is expected to rise from 40-50% initially to nearly full in 2013.
In addition to the China market which accounts for 90% of total revenues, Laster Tech has supplied LED lighting used in cars and motorcycles for Japan-based Toyota, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha, the company indicated.
