SinTek Engages in Capacitor Touch-panel Biz due to Customer Request
2008/05/16 | By Quincy LiangTaipei, May 16, 2008 (CENS)--SinTek Photronic Corp., a major color-filter maker in Taiwan, recently announced that it would engage in development and production of capacitor-type touch-panels.
The company claimed that it has begun sending product samples to potential customers and would kick off mass production as early as the first quarter of 2009.
SinTek said touch panel is a potential solution for almost every display application. As the resistor-type touch-panel market has matured, the company said, it decided to branch into the emerging capacitor touch-panel sector with customers having asked for such product.
SinTek said that initially its monthly production capacity of capacitor touch panels would be 7,000 to 10,000 fifth-generation (5G) substrates, each of which could be cut into 288 3.5-inch or 91 7-inch panels. The company said that it would continue to increase its investment according to market conditions.
The price of a capacitor touch panel is twice that of a color filter, SinTek said, so the new business is expected to rapidly raise the company's revenue and profits. In addition to the mainstream 3.5-inch touch panels, SinTek is also actively developing 5- and 7-inch products featuring higher technical threshold and margins.
The new business is expected to generate an additional monthly revenue of about NT$200 million (US$6.56 million at US$1: NT$33.8) to SinTek. SinTek's existing 5G color-filter production line has a monthly capacity of 100,000 substrates and the line's equipment appreciation will be complete in April 2009 to be more cost competitive at that time.
Taiwan Touch-panel Makers' Capacity Planning | ||
Monthly Capacity | 2007 Revenue | |
J Touch | Resistor: 5 million | NT$2.127 B. |
Swenc | Resistor: 5 million | NT$1.339 B. |
Transtouch | Resistor: 4.5 million | NT$893 M. |
Innolux | 100,000 (400 x 500mm) substrates. 60,000 (370 x 400mm) substrates. | NT$3.5 B. - NT$4 B. in 2008 |
SinTek | 10,000 (1,200 x 1,300mm) substrates | -- |
Cando | 60,000 (620 x 750mm substrates) | -- |
Source: The companies. | ||