• Industry Guide
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Archive
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Architectural Products
  • Architecture + Design Master
    1. Architectural Lighting
    2. Retail & Hospitality

    LED manufacturing news: Osram Opto, Opto Tech, Harvatek

    June 15, 2006
    Osram Opto Semiconductors is expanding its packaging facility in Malaysia, Opto tech is to supply Nichia-branded LEDs to customers in Korea, and Harvatek is looking to move into the high-power LED market.

    Osram Opto expands packaging facility

    The Star Online newspaper in Malaysia reports that Osram Opto Semiconductors is expanding its back-end packaging capacity at its Bayan Lepas plant near Penang. The plant is involved in manufacturing surface-mounted LEDs, high-power laser diodes and organic LEDs.

    Osram Opto Semiconductors (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Werner Gelner said the expansion will create job opportunities for another 100 engineers, and will cater to the growing needs of the automotive industries in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China and Malaysia.

    Gelner said the Penang plant generated about five billion units of LEDs last year. "This year, because of the expansion exercise, the output will be increased by at least 10%," he said. "The Bayan Lepas plant is currently involved in packaging the next generation of LEDs, which are smaller, consume less power, and can generate high-quality light in various colors."

    Gelner said although the raw material prices for making LEDs, such as copper, silver and plastic, had increased, the company could not pass the cost to its customers as the market was very competitive. "We have to offset the higher cost of raw materials with higher output and greater efficiency in the production process," he said.

    Opto Tech supplies Nichia LEDs in Korea

    Taiwan LED manufacturer Opto Tech is to supply Nichia-branded blue LEDs to Nichia's customers in Korea, including Samsung and LG Electronics, according to a report on the Digitimes website.

    Opto Tech manufactures blue and green Nichia-branded LEDs under an agreement with the Japanese manufacturer.

    Harvatek looks at high-power LEDs

    Harvatek, a Taiwan-based LED packager, plans to develop its high-power LED product line for LCD panel backlighting and other lighting applications, according to a report on the Digitimes website.

    Although the handset market still accounts for 80% of Harvatek's revenues, with Avago being a major customer, there are concerns about inventory and demand. Harvatek has already won some high-power LED orders in Europe, and expects to ship 1-2 million units beginning in August.

    Harvatek has licensed white LED technology from Osram, and purchases chips from US-based Cree and Taiwan-based Tekcore.