Optic-Disc Drive Makers in Taiwan, Japan Jointly Launch Blu-Ray Plan

Taipei, Sept. 15, 2009 (CENS)--Seven manufacturers of optic-disc drives from Taiwan and Japan yesterday announced their plan to open 15 lines for Blu-ray optical pickup unit production in the Central Taiwan Science Park at a cost of NT$2.5 billion (US$75 million at US$1:NT$33).

The seven manufacturers include Forward Electronics Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), Tera Autotech Corp., Inc. (Taiwan), Sunext Technology Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), and TDK-owned SAE Magnetic Ltd. (Japan).

The seven firms vow to set up the 15 production lines in three stages, with the first going from 2009 through 2011, the second ending in 2012 and the third ending in 2013. The production lines are designed to have maximum output of 18 million pickup heads a year.

The plan is expected to help develop an industrial cluster comprising pickup-head, system-product, connector and mechanism-spindle sectors.

According to chairman of Forward, H.J. Deng, Sanyo, Sony and Hitachi have controlled technologies for making Blu-ray optical pickup units. His company, he added, buys optical pickup units from Sanyo and Sony and builds them into its Blu-ray pickup systems.

Deng said he believes Taiwan would emerge as a world manufacturing hub of Blu-ray optical-disc players by making most of its well-developed blue LED chip and Blu-ray system industries. Supplies of Blu-ray optical pickup units are running short worldwide, offering Taiwan a good chance to enter into this industry.