NB manufacturers began to face a component capacity crunch in 2Q07, Says DRAMeXchange

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2007-08-01 08:47

Taiwan--(뉴스와이어)--In 2Q07, NB manufacturers began to face a component capacity crunch, as the supply of LCD panels, batteries, HDDs, casings and certain ODDs tightened. The situation could grow more serious in 3Q07, as quarterly shipments are expected to exceed 25.6M, a QoQ increase of 14.4%, accourding to DRAMeXchange. In terms of the required NB components for the third quarter, this could pose a more serious challenge to NB makers.

In the LCD panel segment, some NB OEMs have been unable to secure a sufficient amount of panels. How close a relationship the OEM has forged with its LCD suppliers in the past became a critical issue here.

In the battery segment, amid the price rise of relevant metals, raw material prices have jumped significantly. However, the tighter battery supply has been mainly attributed to an inadequate battery cell production capacity. In 2007, the amount of lithium ion cell batteries set to be produced should be enough to equip roughly 96 million NBs. Still, manufacturers are feeling the ¨squeeze〃, as the batteries are applied in other areas as well, such as mobile devices and tools. In addition, battery makers have little interest to boost production, as the price cuts by battery testing and packaging companies have significantly driven down profit margins.

In the casing segment, the brisk NB shipments have pushed up current production to near 100% levels. NB makers must be careful with their purchasing and supply plans, or they could be unable to deliver their products on time. Like the battery supply mentioned earlier, NB makers face a similar capacity crunch in the aluminum casing segment, as they are also applied in cell phones and other products. As for the plastic casing, a possible shortage may occur if NB makers do not conduct timely procurements.

In the HDD segment, supply was relatively sufficient in 2Q07. However, for 3Q07, in light of the already high production utilization rates and strong NB sales growth, the production of certain high capacity HDDs may not be enough. During a press conference in July, HDD manufacturers expressed a possible NB HDD shortage in August. As this may disrupt the NB shipments, OEMs have responded by adopting different HDD specifications.

"Overall, tier-two NB brands will suffer more serious impact during this tight-supply period. They will face both rising cost and lower than planned shipment volume due to insufficient quantity of components." the market research firm reveals.

About DRAMeXchange

DRAMeXchange is a global leading provider of market intelligence, in-depth analysis reports and consultant services on major electronics components. Our company consists of 2 major research divisions---DRAMeXchange and WitsView, which cover the DRAM, NAND Flash, PC and display research sectors. You can learn more about DRAMeXchange by visiting www.dramexchange.com.

In the year 2000, the company started to deliver market intelligence services under the name of DRAMeXchange technology. This included the current business environment, real-time spot trading prices, market trends, capital spending and wafer capacity trends, the impact of DRAM/flash memory products on the market, and other relevant PC industry information.

To further expand its research, DRAMeXchange acquired LCD research institute WitsView in 2006 to provide insights on the display industry.

About WitsView

WitsView is a subsidiary brand of DRAMeXchange, which provides prompt and credible market insights covering the quantitative pricing trend for both TFT-LCD panels and finished goods, industry updates and market intelligence. Founded in 2004, WitsView Technology Corporation is made up of a group of sophisticated industry analysts with years of experience, providing objective and strategic insights on the display industry. Additional information can be found at www.witsview.com.

웹사이트: http://www.DRAMeXchange.com