C Sun and Chroma Optimistic on LED Lighting, Entering from Upstream and Downstream Respectively

　　Optimistic about the future growth of LED lighting, Taiwanese equipment manufacturers C Sun and Chroma both presented related products at the 2012 Taiwan LED Lighting Exhibition, entering from upstream sapphire substrates and downstream luminaires respectively.

　　C Sun obtained Patterned Sapphire Substrate (PSS) technology through its reinvested subsidiary Hua Shun Technology, developing corresponding equipment for the entire production process from cleaning, photoresist coating, imprinting and etching to shipping. Both the nano-imprinting equipment and etching equipment are C Sun's unique new technologies. Compared with traditional exposure equipment, the imprinting equipment can save an average of 33% in production cost per substrate, while the etching equipment can create the highest production volume per unit time currently in the industry. For 2-inch sapphire substrates, approximately 32 pieces can be processed every 30 minutes, while the industry average is 20 pieces. C Sun has already obtained a number of turnkey orders from mainland China, which should be shipped within 2012.

　　C Sun stated that general PSS equipment uses a stepper for exposure. It is fine when used on 2-inch substrates, but for substrates of 4 inches or more, exposure failure easily occurs due to substrate warpage. As for C Sun's use of imprinting technology, it is directly imprinted on the substrate and completed in one step.

　　Zhisheng has two main strategies for PSS equipment. One of them is leveraging its reinvested company Hwashun Optoelectronics to directly produce PSS substrates and sell them to Taiwanese chip makers. Currently, the monthly output value of Hwashun Optoelectronics' PSS substrates can reach approximately NT$40–50 million. In addition, PSS equipment targets mainland LED chip manufacturers as its main customers, including Sanan, Tsinghua Tongfang, and Tianma. At present, LED business still accounts for a single-digit percentage of Zhisheng's revenue, with a target of growing to 10% next year.

　　Chroma, on the other hand, targeting the business opportunities from downstream luminaire replacement, has launched mass-production automated LED luminaire testing equipment that can perform automated bulb inspection on assembly lines. Currently, Chroma has received orders from several domestic and international brand manufacturers, and once the LED lighting market fully ramps up, more demand is expected.