Kaori Heat Treatment Co. approved the formation of a wholly-owned subsidiary focused on thermal solutions at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on November 12, transferring its thermal energy division to the new entity, Kaori Thermal Technology. The restructuring aims to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen the group's positioning in the growing artificial intelligence infrastructure market.
Acer subsidiary AOpen achieved its highest profits in 22 years during the third quarter of 2024. The company attributes this growth to long-term efforts in various markets and customer relationships, which have stabilized following the pandemic. There has also been a noticeable increase in shipments for certain projects in Europe and the US in the second half of the year.
Sixxon Tech, a specialized supplier of precision metal parts, anticipates robust growth in thermal management, semiconductor, and optical communication sectors in 2025. The company aims to reduce its reliance on automotive components as it focuses on new markets.
Taiwan's leading precision metal stamping specialist, G-Shank Enterprise, reported that revenue from non-3C applications—such as automotive, medical, and industrial sectors—grew to 56% in the first three quarters of 2024. This diversification fueled both revenue and profit growth for the company, while AI-related applications will serve as the primary growth driver in 2025, according to President Ying-Shou Lin.
With Nvidia planning GB300 after GB200, scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2025, industry sources believe liquid cooling demand is poised to surge in 2025.
The highly anticipated Nvidia RTX 50 series display cards are set to launch, with suppliers optimistic about its market impact. A key display card cooling supplier, Auras Technology, is gearing up for increased demand. Yu-Shen Lin, chairman of Auras, noted that the RTX 50 series could become the most popular display cards ever and may seize the whole market starting in December.
Semiconductor testing interface leader WinWay has achieved record-breaking performance, driven by robust demand for AI, HPC applications, and AI smartphones. The company's AI and HPC product lines have experienced significant growth, pushing its third-quarter revenue to an unprecedented high, with both revenue and profit for the first three quarters setting new records.
Taiwanese hinge and precision components provider Jarllytech reported that its revenue performance in October remained flat, with a slight month-over-month decline primarily due to the postponement of mass production for new foldable devices from Chinese clients until late October, which resulted in lower-than-expected shipments for the company's mobile product line this month.
Automotive supply chain players are increasingly branching out into non-automotive sectors, notably semiconductors, with companies like Global PMX and TsangYow at the forefront.
Recently reports have emerged that the Biden administration has proposed a controversial plan to bolster Intel by merging its chip design division with AMD's corresponding departments. While both companies have established collaborative foundations, this speculation appears worrisome from both the market and technical perspectives.
Semiconductor Week in Review (Nov 3 - 9): The semiconductor industry faces a transformative moment as TSMC readies its Arizona fab's politically-charged December opening and Intel's covert Taiwan visit reveals its deepening dependence on TSMC's advanced nodes.
Benefiting from the continuous increase in market penetration of LED backlit keyboard modules, electronic components manufacturer Chicony Electronics reported continued revenue growth in the third quarter of 2024. Although the product mix slightly impacted the gross margin, which declined marginally compared to the previous quarter, it remained above 20%.
Global supply chains are transforming from lengthy, interconnected networks to shorter, regionalized structures, driven by the prolonged US-China trade and tech conflicts and pandemic disruptions. While this transition has placed substantial pressure on small and medium-sized suppliers, they are finding ways to adapt.
Taiwan-based Eikei, a specialist in non-OEM PCBs, is poised for substantial growth in both revenue and profit in 2025, driven by increasing demand for PCBs in automotive, AI, and power supply applications, according to Chairman Corey Liu.
Optical film manufacturer Wah Hong Industrial Corp has reported that its cumulative pre-tax net profit for the third quarter of 2024 reached NT$410 million (approx. US$12.7 million), marking a significant year-over-year growth rate of 70.3% compared to NT$240 million in the same period of 2023.
Huawei's HarmonyOS is encountering significant hurdles in its path to successful commercialization. However, since its launch, Huawei has integrated the digital yuan into HarmonyOS, reflecting a departure from traditional commercialization strategies.
With the global recovery of tourism and theme park industries post-pandemic, demand for amusement equipment is surging, boosting business for leading simulation technology provider Brogent Technologies. The company is making strategic moves to seize these opportunities by expanding its operations and constructing a new facility at the Southern Taiwan Science Park's Qiaotou branch.
Meta's XR division, Reality Labs, remains unprofitable despite revenue growth, with Quest 3 sales driving a 30% increase in the first quarter and 28% in the second quarter of 2024 over 2023. These gains were offset by high operating expenses, leading to a US$4.5 billion loss in the second quarter alone.
Leading microcontroller (MCU) manufacturer Nuvoton Technology's (Nuvoton) chairman Yuan-Mou Su, stated that the fourth quarter of 2024 marks the beginning of an off-peak season, leading to a more conservative revenue outlook. However, the impact of inventory provisions is expected to continue diminishing.
Taiwan's power supply provider, Chicony Power Technology, anticipates that its 2025 performance will likely surpass that of 2024, supported by multiple growth drivers. Key areas contributing to this momentum include high-wattage notebook power supplies, satellite and communication power supplies, server power supplies, and intelligent platform solutions aligned with net-zero carbon initiatives.
Leading touch controller chip firm Elan Microelectronics posted strong results in both revenue and profit for the traditional third-quarter peak season. Although the fourth quarter may see a slight drop in revenue as the industry enters its usual off-peak period, the company expects gross margin to remain at a relatively high level. Going into 2025, Elan anticipates robust notebook-related demand to drive higher growth than in the previous two years, with new products entering the market boosting profits as well.
Despite numerous rumors and stories circulating that Apple is developing an affordable mixed reality (MR) device priced around US$2,000, with a potential release as early as 2026, recent news suggests that this affordable MR device may be launched later than expected. In contrast, the high-end second-generation Vision Pro 2 could debut ahead of schedule in 2025.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. (Semco) began mass-producing silicon capacitors for global semiconductor firms in the fourth quarter of 2024, with plans to ramp up supply diversification both domestically and internationally by 2025. These silicon capacitors, critical for high-performance semiconductor substrates used in AI and other advanced applications, are poised to become a core growth area for the company.
Display driver IC (DDI) specialist Ilitek is poised to re-enter the capital market in late November as ITH Corporation. Ahead of ITH's upcoming listing on the stock market, chairman Wayne Liang highlights the company's eight-year consolidation period that has strengthened its technical and business capabilities. These efforts have yielded results, with the company securing top-three positions in both the smartphone touch DDI market and the handset OLED DDI market in China.
