ITRI honored in Vegas
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI, 工研院) was honored at this year’s R&D 100 Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday for two technologies developed by its researchers.
A high-efficiency calcium looping process designed for carbon capture and an in-line compact thermal analyzer for faster LED inspections were honored, the Hsinchu-based institute said in a statement on Saturday.
Both have been licensed for use by Taiwanese companies, including Taiwan Cement Co (台泥), which uses the carbon capture technology at its plant in Hualien County, while the cost-efficient thermal analysis technology has been adopted for LED testing by MPI Corp (旺矽) in Greater Kaohsiung, the institute said.
Service sector stable: institute
The nation’s service sector remained stable in September, with its index flashing a “green light” for the seventh consecutive month, the Commerce Development Research Institute said.
The service sector got a boost from a move by department store chains to hold massive promotional campaigns to mark their anniversaries, which offset the effect of fears over food safety after the latest scandal related to cooking oil sales, the think tank said.
The institute said that the service industry index stood at 101 points in September, down two points from a month earlier, but still flashing green.
Flat-panel firm back in black
Giantplus Technology Co (凌巨), which makes small and medium flat panels and touchpanels, on Friday said it generated a net profit of NT$72.72 million (US$2.38 million) last quarter after posting a quarterly loss of NT$27.7 million in the second quarter, without the impact of a foreign-exchange loss.
Earnings per share (EPS) were NT$0.16 last quarter, the company said in a statement.
Operating profit plunged 92 percent to NT$649,000 from NT$7.93 million in the previous quarter, while gross margin fell to 7.7 percent from 8 percent over the quarter, the company said.
In the first three quarters, net profit amounted to NT$112.82 million, or EPS of NT$0.26, reversing losses of NT$487 million it reported in the same period of last year.
Hiwin cleared for Europe sales
Hiwin Technologies Corp (上銀科技), which produces linear guideways and ball screws, on Friday reported net income of NT$726.71 million, up 18.85 percent year-on-year and 150.42 percent quarter-on-quarter.
The company also posted monthly sales of NT$1.48 billion for last month, up 13.74 percent from a year earlier and a slight rise from the previous month’s NT$1.47 billion.
With last month’s sales hitting their highest level in almost the past three years, the company’s cumulative sales from January to last month totaled NT$12.28 billion, up 24.4 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, Hiwin said its medical devices have received certification from CE mark, which means that they can now be sold in European markets.
Toolmaker sees sales slide
Machine toolmaker Kao Fong Machinery Co (高鋒工業) on Friday reported sales of NT$173.85 million for last month, a decline of 15.44 percent from October last year’s NT$189.3 million, but up 7.14 percent from the previous month’s NT$162.26 million.
Consolidated revenues last quarter reached NT$511.31 million, down 42.11 percent year-on-year, but a 66.16 percent surge quarter-on-quarter, according to a company filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
Kao Fong reported NT$533.79 million for the third quarter last year and posted NT$479.58 million for the previous quarter.
Kao Fong’s revenues totaled NT$1.72 billion in the first 10 months of the year, up 4.48 percent from last year’s NT$1.64 billion.
Logistics firm buys Chinese unit
THI Global Holdings Corp (台驊國際投資控股) on Friday announced that it had acquired a Chinese supply chain service platform company for 63 million yuan (US$10.29 million).
The domestic freight-forwarder and logistics operator said the transaction would help broaden its business scale and enhance its resource integration. However, THI Global did not specify the name of the acquired company.
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