China-based sapphire makers Biel Crystal Manufactory and Lens Technology, in view of growing adoption of sapphire optical applications in wearable devices and smartphones, have expanded production capacities, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
The Apple Watch is estimated to entail nearly 20% of global sapphire production capacity in 2015, the sources said.
Biel Crystal and China-based Roshow Technology together invested CNY500 million (US$81 million) to set up a joint venture sapphire maker, Biel Roshow Sapphire, in April 2014, with the former holding a 60% stake and the latter 40%, the sources indicated.
Biel Crystal and Roshow have decided to add investment of CNY200 million in the joint venture, with stake proportions remaining unchanged, the sources said. Biel Roshow Sapphire completed installation of 200 sapphire crystal growing furnaces at the end of 2014 and started trial production in January 2015, the sources noted.
Lens Technology has established a subsidiary maker specifically for producing sapphire, with the subsidiary expanding its production capacity in 2014, the sources said.
Taiwan-based sapphire wafer makers Crystal Applied Technology and Tera Xtal Technology have become suppliers of iPhone camera covers and fingerprint recognition covers through China-based supply chain makers , the sources said.
The two Taiwan-based makers expect to obtain orders for sapphire covers from smartwatch vendors in first-half 2015, the sources indicated.
