Kinpo expects 30% sales growth in 2008

Kinpo Group (金仁寶集團) yesterday forecast that revenues would rise 30 percent next year, fueled by growing demand for a wide range of products, including notebook computers and new liquid-crystal-display (LCD) televisions.

A leading local electronics group, Kinpo includes the world's second-largest laptop computer maker Compal Electronics Inc (仁寶) and mobile phone maker Compal Communications Inc (華寶通訊).

"Next year, the group's revenues will grow 30 percent from this year's NT$670 billion [US$20.73 billion]," Kinpo chairman Rock Hsu (許勝雄) told reporters. "The growth areas will be NB [notebook], mobile phones, set top boxes."

"We will also have a new LCD TV [model] next year to target the North American market," Hsu said.

Hsu made the remarks on the sidelines of a media briefing for the group's mobile operator, Vibo Telecom Inc (威寶電信), to promote its latest service.

Vibo, which offers only third-generation (3G) services, said the service uses near-field communication technology and allows subscribers taking the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System (MRT) to pay for the ride by swiping their handset.

The nation's top telecom company, Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), on Tuesday unveiled a similar service in cooperation with BenQ Corp (明基), which provided the handsets.