Lite-On Technology Corp (光寶科技) yesterday announced plans to form a joint venture with the nation’s biggest touch panel maker, Young Fast Optoelectronics Co (洋華), to produce touch panel modules in China and tap into this rapidly growing market.
The two companies plan to pour US$100 million into the new venture, which will be 65 percent owned by Lite-On’s subsidiary — the world’s biggest handset casing maker, Lite-On Mobile Pte Ltd, which Lite-On acquired in 2007 from Perlos.
Nokia is Lite-On Mobile’s biggest customer.
The joint venture could help the companies further cement their leading position in the handset supply chain, as touch panels increasingly become a “must-have” feature on smartphones.
“The synergy of joining Lite-On Mobile and Young Fast is evident,” Lite-On Mobile chief executive Cor Saris said in a joint statement.
“We’re combining Young Fast’s world-class touch sensor technology with Lite-On Mobile’s proven expertise in seamless design ... Together we can offer the best integrated touch solutions to our global clients,” Saris said.
Young Fast will take a 35 percent share in the joint venture — the second one announced by the panel maker in one and half months after saying it planned to set up a venture with local disc maker Ritek Corp (錸德) through Ritek’s subsidiaries AimCore Technology Co (安可光電) and RiTdisplay Corp (錸寶).
“An important trend in the touch industry is integration of touch sensors into the window lens and ultimately into the handset’s front cover,” Young Fast chief executive TJ Lin (林德錚) said in the statement.
Lite-On Mobile will incorporate touch modules into its product and service portfolio in addition to its core offerings in plastics and metal casing, antenna and module sub-assembly, according to the statement.
Young Fast could expand its market share by leveraging off Lite-On Mobile’s customer base.
The joint venture is scheduled to start operation in the fourth quarter of this year. The new company will assemble touch panel modules at a plant in Huizhou, Guangdong Province.
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