FCCL maker Taiflex guardedly optimistic about 2H20
by Jay Liu, Taipei; Willis Ke, DIGITIMESFlexible copper-clad laminate (FCCL) supplier Taiflex Scientific expects revenues for 2020 to grow slightly or at least stay flat compared to 2019 despite uncertainties in the second half of the year.
The company said that its third-quarter revenues will be higher than second-quarter results, as traditional seasonality effect still exists in the third quarter.
Despite total global handset sales unlikely to grow this year, the company is optimistic that new high-frequency and high-speed FCCL materials for 5G smartphones and foldable handsets will bring a significant growth momentum for its revenues.
Growing applications of high-frequency and high-speed FLCC materials have made FLCC market gradually turn a technology-oriented one from previous price orientation. This has driven Taiflex to double its R&D forces in recent years seeking to outperform peers in the technology competition, according to company chairman ZM Yen.
Unlike other peers in Taiwan, Japan and Korea mostly dedicated to single specific product line, Yen said, Taiflex has managed to offer multiple product lines and technologies looking to better expand its customer bases with one-stop shopping services.
The company's newly built two coating and laminating lines at its plant in Rudong, China's Jiangsu province are undergoing trial runs before kicking off volume production in the second half of the year mainly to serve Chinese clients.
After completing its deployments in MPI FLCC, Tailfex is gearing up to develop its LCP FCCL business in 2020. The company has installed related equipment at its plant in southern Taiwan and plans to complete sample validations by all its potential clients for the new material by the end of the year.