Taiwan Today

Terry Gou, head of local electronics giant Foxconn Technology Group, announced Feb. 10 his conglomerate will establish a solar cell and module plant after the Lunar New Year in Zhuolan Township, Miaoli County. Following the lead of AU Optronics Corp. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Foxconn will become another major industry leader tapping into the green energy sector in recent days, and is expected to create a stir among its competitors. The plant, which will produce silicon wafer solar cells, is budgeted at more than NT$10 billion (US$306 million). It is understood that the county government has been assisting Foxconn in obtaining a 25-hectare plot of state-owned land on which to locate the factory. Foxconn’s stock shares jumped NT$1 with the announcement, closing at NT$134.5. In related news, Innolux Display Corp., a subsidiary of Foxconn, had its last year-end dinner party under the name of Innolux Feb. 10. The company agreed in November 2009 to form a tri-party merger firm with Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. and TPO Displays Corp this year. H.C. Tuan, chairman and chief executive officer of Innolux, said he expected the merger company to become the leading global manufacturer in seven fields: liquid crystal displayer monitors, LCD televisions, notebook computer panels, cell phone panels, touch screens, cover glass and e-books. According to Tuan, top-ranking executives in the three companies have all agreed to first boost the profitability of the merger firm. This will be achieved by setting up plants overseas to reduce production costs, improving technologies and product quality, interviewing clients for feedback and closely scrutinizing general costs. (TYH-THN)