Taiwanese Contract Assemblers to Ship 42 M.-44 M. LCD TVs in 2013: WitsView

Taipei, Nov. 15, 2012 (CENS)--Taiwanese TV contract assemblers are expected to ship 42- 44 million LCD TVs in 2013, a 10% to 14% year-on-year (YoY) increase, according to Witsview.

TPV Technology Ltd. and Unihan Corp. are expected to enjoy 40% to 70% shipment growth in 2013, the market research firm predicted, while and BriView Technology Corp. of the AUO Group (an affiliate of local panel maker AU Optronics Corp.) is expected to challenge an annual shipment goal of some 13 million units, all under the backlight module system (BMS) integration shipment mode.

In the third quarter of 2012, Witsview said, Taiwanese contract assemblers together shipped some 10.3 million TVs, up 19.6% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ); while shipments in the fourth quarter are continue to see a 9% to 11% QoQ increase.

The market research attributed the QoQ shipment growth to three major factors, including brand vendors aim to evade panel supply shortage by placing more orders, increasing outsourcing volumes from Chinese vendors, and some Japanese brands aim to grab higher market shares in the second half.

In the first half of 2012, Taiwan's LCD TV contract-assembly shipments saw a 13% to 14% YoY drop (equal to some 37 million to 38 million units), the first YoY decline in the industry.

Witsview said that in addition to the assembled-set shipment mode, the BMS shipment mode has become a new trend. BriView, for example, is expected to ship five million to six million units under BMS integration mode this year, while the volume is expected to rise to 13 million to 15 million units thanks to Sony's new order.

By winning new orders from Sony and Toshiba, Unihan's shipments in 2013 are expected to increase to some 5.5 million units, from about 3.1 million this year. TPV aims to challenge shipments of 20 million TVs in 2013, a 40% annual growth, thanks to smooth or increasing shipments to Philips, Sony and Vizio etc. brands.

Hon Hai targets shipment of 10 million TVs next year to Sony, Sharp, Vizio etc. brands.