MANUFACTURING
Optimax to sell factories
Optimax Technology Corp (力特光電), a supplier of polarizing films that are a central component of LCD technology, yesterday said that its board of directors has agreed to sell factories and equipment in the Southern Taiwan Science Park (南部科學園區) to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) for NT$3.65 billion (US$123.56 million). Optimax said it expects to book an asset disposal gain of NT$650 million after deducting expenses and plans to use the proceeds to repay bank loans. As of June 30, Optimax had about NT$6.2 billion in debts with 18 banks, a company financial statement showed.
NETWORKING
Accton results miss mark
Communications solutions provider Accton Technology Corp (智邦科技) yesterday reported weaker-than-expected financial results for the second quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Net profit decreased 16 percent year-on-year to NT$1.16 billion, or earnings per share (EPS) of NT$2.07, Accton said in a statement. Revenue declined 8 percent from a year earlier to NT$12.63 billion last quarter. In the first half of the year, net profit rose 2.1 percent annually to NT$2.19 billion, or EPS of NT$3.93, while revenue fell 2.3 percent to NT$24.35 billion. The company also approved the appointment of Melody Chiang (江映慧) and Jackal Lee (李訓德) as senior vice presidents, effective immediately.
MANUFACTURING
Chelic reports NT$47m profit
Pneumatic parts maker Taiwan Chelic Corp Ltd (台灣氣立) yesterday reported better-than-expected net profit of NT$47.26 million for the second quarter, up 335.68 percent from a year earlier, or EPS of NT$0.71. Revenue increased 29.47 percent to NT$459 million, the company said in a statement. Gross margin improved to 35 percent last quarter, thanks to orders related to 5G devices, consumer electronics, automation equipment, machine tools and welding facilities, it said. Business in the second half of the year would be better than the first half on the back of strong demand for industrial automation products, the company said.
INTERNET
Mozilla to lay off workers
Mozilla Corp (MoCo), the developer of the Firefox Internet browser, is to lay off 250 people and restructure its organization, as the pandemic has affected its business. In a statement to employees, Mozilla chief executive officer Mitchell Baker said that the pandemic significantly affected the firm’s revenue and prompted the need to reduce the size of its workforce. “We are reducing the size of the MoCo workforce by approximately 250 roles, including closing our current operations in Taipei, Taiwan. Another 60 or so people will change teams,” Baker said.
FOOTWEAR
BASF opens center
German chemical firm BASF SE on Tuesday opened its first global Footwear Innovation Center in Taiwan, with the aim of allowing brands to optimize manufacturing processes and improve efficiency. The 650m2 center in Changhua County is in a compound belonging to BASF’s strategic partner Longterm Concept (隆鼎). BASF said in a news release that one of the goals of the center is to “bring footwear professionals, manufacturers and designers together to cocreate new-generation footwear.” The center would also feature a slew of interactive footwear exhibits and house a biomechanics lab for the development of new footwear solutions, it said.
The domestic unit of the Chinese-owned, Dutch-headquartered chipmaker Nexperia BV will soon be able to produce semiconductors locally within China, according to two company sources. Nexperia is at the center of a global tug-of-war over critical semiconductor technology, with a Dutch court in February ordering a probe into alleged mismanagement at the company. The geopolitical tussle has disrupted supply chains, with some carmakers reportedly forced to cut production due to chip shortages. Local production would allow Nexperia’s domestic arm, Nexperia Semiconductors (China) Ltd (安世半導體中國), to bypass restrictions in place since October on the supply of silicon wafers — etched with tiny components to
Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery giant Grab Holdings Ltd has applied for regulatory approval to acquire the Taiwan operations of Germany-based Delivery Hero SE's Foodpanda in a deal valued at about US$600 million. Grab submitted the filing to the Fair Trade Commission on Friday last week, with the transaction subject to regulatory review and approval, the company said in a statement yesterday. Its independent governance structure would help foster a healthy and competitive market in Taiwan if the deal is approved, Grab said. Grab, which is listed on the NASDAQ, said in the filing that US-based Uber Technologies Inc holds about 13 percent of
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday received government approval to deploy its advanced 3-nanometer (3nm) process at its second fab currently under construction in Japan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a news release. The ministry green-lit the plan for the facility in Kumamoto, which is scheduled to start installing equipment and come online in 2028 with a monthly production capacity of 15,000 12-inch wafers, the ministry said. The Department of Investment Review in June 2024 authorized a US$5.26 billion investment for the facility, slated to manufacture 6- to 12nm chips, significantly less advanced than 3nm process. At a meeting with
Taiwan is open to joining a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) program if one is created, but on the condition that countries provide delivery even in a scenario where there is a conflict with China, an energy department official said yesterday. While Taiwan’s priority is to have enough LNG at home, the nation is open to exploring potential strategic reserves in other countries such as Japan or South Korea, Energy Administration Deputy Director-General Chen Chung-hsien (陳崇憲) said. While the LNG market does not have a global reserve for emergencies like that of oil, the concept has been raised a few times —
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