Orient Semiconductor lands Infineon contracts for wireless module assembly

Taipei, Dec. 9, 2003 (CENS)--Chip assembler Orient Semiconductor Electronics, Ltd. Of Taiwan again acquired contracts from European chipmaker Infineon Technologies AG to assemble its wireless module, the Taiwanese chip assembler announced yesterday.

Orient Semiconductor is contracted by the European chipmaker to assemble its Bluetooth modules for next-generation cellular phones and hand-free telephones, with its output capacity of 30 million modules a year. Thanks to thriving module contracts, the chip assembler's November revenue rose 8% from October to NT$1.4 billion (US$41.4 million).

Orient Semiconductor's executives pointed out that the warming global chip market has prompted integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) to deliver more outsourcing contracts to dedicated manufacturers. They said the company has landed increasing contracts from suppliers of Bluetooth modules, 802.11a/b/g WLAN modules, global positioning system modules and router modules since early this year.

The Orient Semiconductor executives noted that as electronics products have been increasingly required to be built in compact size, whether a chip assembler can meet the trend or not has become a decisive element for chipmakers to choose them or not. Orient Semiconductor has developed stack-type packaging and system-in-package techniques for the compact purpose.

The chip assembler said it will continue expanding module assembly business, which has been growing sharply worldwide.

In the first eleven months of the year, the company raked in total revenue of NT$12.2 billion (US$358 million), increasing 3.58% from the comparable period of last year. It expected revenue for this month to stay at a high level.