PSC Secured Apple’s Orders Totaling 100 Million Units of Driver IC.

For the first time, Apple placed orders with Taiwanese DRAM companies for manufacturing chips used in iPhone and iPad Tablet PC.  PSC received orders as a 12-inch wafer foundry for subcontract manufacturing for totaling 100 million units of driver IC.  In addition, mobile Ram companies including Winbond Electronics Corporation and ProMOS Technologies, Inc. (among others) have secured Apple’s orders through Elpida.  These companies are known as “Apple concept stocks”.

With Renesas acting as go-between, PSC was able to act as one of the companies in the supply chain for Apple.  In other words, Renesas received orders for providing panel driver IC to be used for Apple products including iPhone and iPad; one unit of driver IC will be used for one set of iPhone and three units of driver IC will be used for one set of iPad.  All in all, PSC secured OEM production orders totaling 100 million units of driver IC.

This marks the first time for Taiwan DRAM companies to suppliers of non-personal computer semiconductor products rather than standard memory products.  This event can also be considered as the fruitful result after years of cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in the field of memory products.

PSC stated that its 12-inch wafer fab has a brisk inflow of orders for the time being.   Moreover, it is the only fab in the world that produces special IC for applications in power supply management and panel driver IC (among others).  In order to reduce production cost, Apple has placed orders of panel driver IC, a designated product of 12-inch wafer fab with Renesas.  Meanwhile, PSC is the only contract maker providing the 12-inch wafer fab special product -- driver IC in the world.  In other words, PSC alone has secured Apple’s orders totaling 100 million units of driver IC.

In the meantime, all of the iPhone and iPad products are equipped with low frequency Mobile Ram, which trend also brings new business opportunity for Taiwan DRAM companies.  Elpida (Japan) is the biggest supplier of Apple products components whereas ProMOS Technologies and Winbond Electronics Corporation are Elpida’s Taiwanese production partners.  In other words, Taiwan DRAM companies have indirectly cut into the Apple supply chain and become Apple concept stocks.  (2010.09)
/DC