Wisechip - Page 4

In February, the company recommenced operations and since then has seen some orders rebound due to the limited number of suppliers in the Taiwan OLED industry, according to the company. However, in order to lower operation costs, Univision has reduced its workforce to 190 employees, compared to the level of 600 it had in the past, noted the company.

Univision plans to increase PC-related and car-use OLED shipments and to boost revenues from these two segments such that they account for one third of its annual sales in 2007, projected the company. Handsets and MP3 players are now also major applications, it added.

Read more here (Digitimes) 

In its latest Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report, DisplaySearch also disclosed the following -

• Samsung SDI and Sony began production of AMOLEDs in Q1'07.
• Teco (Taiwan), which is moving their fab from Taiwan to China, continued to use its Taiwan fab, shipping MP3 displays to iRiver.
• Univision was reported to be in financial difficulties, and while they were able to ship >3M displays in Q4'06, the volume is forecast to fall below 600K in Q1'07.
• Revenues are forecast to grow to over $142.5M in Q1'07, due in large part to the introduction of AMOLEDs for mobile phone main displays by Samsung SDI.

DisplaySearch revealed in its latest Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report that 2006 OLED shipments were 72.1M, up 29%, and revenues were $475M, down 3%, as the ASP dropped 24% Y/Y. OLED displays compete with LCDs in small/medium applications such as mobile phone main displays and sub-displays, MP3s, and automotive consoles. The top six suppliers had a market share of 92.4% as the industry continued to consolidate.

In Q4'06, OLED shipments were 22.2M and revenues hit $145.3M. OLED shipments decreased 2% Q/Q due to an 11% decrease in main displays and a 12% drop in MP3 players. PMOLEDs continue to dominate the market with a revenue share of over 93%. There are now 13 small molecule and 2 P-OLED producers with small molecule having a 99% revenue share.

In Q4'06, RiTdisplay regained the #1 position in both units and revenue with 5.4M displays and $26.5M in revenue. Pioneer was #5 in shipments and #2 in revenue, while Samsung SDI was #2 in shipments and #3 in revenue for the quarter. LGE was #3 in shipments and #4 in revenue, and Univision was #4 in units and #5 in revenue,

OLED panel maker Univision Technology has had its equipment seized by court order after it failed to settle overdue payments with suppliers, and the company has asked its employees to take leave while operations remain idle, according to the Chinese-language Commercial Times. The company, which has been unable to secure bank loans, will detail its future plans to its 600 employees, some of whom are expected to be laid off, the paper added.

Read more here (Digitimes)

We recently had a short discussion with Univision. They gave us an interesting company information, and we're happy to share it with you here in OLED-Info.

About Univision Technology

Univision Technology, founded at the Hsin-Chu Science based industrial park in July, 2000, is a company focused on the research and development, design, manufacturing and sale of PMOLED displays.

The product line includes full color, multicolor, and monochrome displays which can be used in the main and sub-panel of mobile phone, MP3 player, blue tooth earphone, game, digital camera, car audio, and other industrial applications.

Samsung SDI captured 24% of the 21-million-unit OLED market in the third quarter of 2006, shipping 5.1 million units, according to a Korean-language press release issued by market research firm OLEDNET.

Taiwan-based RiTdisplay ranked second with 3.9 million units sold, followed by LGE with 3.7 million units, Pioneer with 3.2 million and Univision Technology with three million.

Read more here (digiTimes)

DisplaySearch revealed in its latest Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report that OLED shipments grew to 16.1M and revenues hit $112.0M in Q2'06. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) displays compete with LCDs in small/medium applications such as mobile phone main displays and subdisplays, MP3s and automotive consoles. OLED shipments increased 44% Q/Q due to 48% increase in subdisplays and a 36% growth in MP3 player sales. PMOLEDs continue to dominate the market with a revenue share of over 98%. There are 23 small molecule and 2 P-OLED producers with small molecule having a 97% revenue share.

LG jumped past Samsung SDI and RiTdisplay and led in units and revenue in Q2'06 with 3.6M displays and $27.5 in revenue. Samsung SDI was #2 in both shipments and revenue, and Pioneer moved up to #3. Recovering from a very poor Q1'06, Univision was #4 in revenue, up 361%, and RiTdisplay fell to #5.

Other news include:

• Ness Display (Singapore) closed its doors after producing 190K displays, as the company ran out of funds due to the combination of poor yields on color and the continuing reduction in ASPs. Varitronix (Hong Kong) was a major investor, and it is unclear whether they intend to take over the assets.


• Teco (Taiwan) is moving their Fab from Taiwan to China and has stopped production.


• Opto Tech (Taiwan) is attempting to find a buyer or an investor and has stopped production.


• After reaching volumes of over 700K panels/quarter, Lightronix (Taiwan) was down to 30-40K.


• AMOLED producers continue to struggle with LTPS yields, causing AUO and Chi Mei to reduce their staffing levels until the problems are resolved. Samsung SDI continues to forecast AMOLED production for Q4'06.

Read more here

LG Electronics shipped a total of 4.5 million OLED panels in Q2, while Samsung Electronics, which maintained the lead in shipments, posted roughly 4 million units, followed by Taiwan's RiTdisplay with 3.7 million units, Univision with 2.2 million units, and Japan's Pioneer with 1.8 million units, Display Bank noted.

The OLED panel maker is considering a transfer of the OLED business to LG.Philips LCD and LG.Philips LCD is also making preparations for mass production of AMOLED panels.

Eastman Kodak Company, a pioneer in the area of organic light emitting diode technology (OLED), today announced a licensing agreement with Univision Technology of Taiwan. Univision plans to incorporate Kodak's organic display technology in future generation flat panel passive-matrix displays. To date, more than 15 companies have licensed organic display technology from Kodak.
The royalty-bearing license enables Univision to use Kodak technology for passive-matrix OLED modules in a variety of flat panel display applications. The agreement also gives Univision the opportunity to purchase Kodak's patented OLED materials for use in manufacturing displays.

Read more here