Taiwan-based Everlight Electronics will invest NT$10.0 billion (US$317 million) to expand its LED packaging capacity by 25% from the level at the end of 2014 in 2015-2017, according to company chairman Robert Yeh.
Everlight may further expand LED packaging capacity 50% cumulatively through additional investment of NT$20.0 billion in 2018-2019, Yeh said. The continued capacity expansion is to strengthen Everlight's competition with international vendors for orders for high-end LED backlighting, LED lighting and indoor LED display panels, Yek indicated.
Everlight is expanding monthly LED packaging capacity from 3.4 billion LED chips currently to 4.2 billion units, with the expansion to be completed at the end of 2014, Yeh said. For capacity expansion in 2015, Everlight will soon acquire a factory site of 56,200 square meters (604,900 square feet) in Taiwan, with the factory to come into operation in 2016, Yeh indicated.
For 2015 business outlook, overall demand for LED backlighting will approach saturation but specific demand for backlighting Ultra HD LCD TVs, with backlighting brightness being 50% higher, will significantly grow while demand for LED lighting and indoor LED display panels will increase as well, Yeh indicated. Everlight has become the global largest supplier of indoor LED display panels, with a global market share of 80%, Yeh said.
