【 introduction 】 : TPK said recently in pingtan, fujian, xiamen and Taiwan taichung form "golden triangle" industry area, a move that will push TPK touch screen to make a greater advantage. But both opportunities and challenges. TPK's challenge 1: wild push integrated touch panel factory; Challenge 2: high quality technology no longer eat; Challenge 3: decision wrong treasure can only be broken orders. 

Beijing time on sep 04), touch screen net news in China, the world's largest TPK touch screen manufacturers Taiwan technology group (TPK) announced on August 29 in pingtan, fujian, is formed in pingtan, fujian, xiamen and Taiwan taichung TPK belt "golden triangle", a move that will push TPK touch screen to make a greater advantage. 

Said that TPK in fujian xiamen factory built the world's largest touch products production base, the production of touch screen products and services to apple, hewlett-packard, SONY and so on more than 40 production touch industry downstream customers, including apple's iPhone and it selects its products. 

In February, TPK TPK in fujian pingtan comprehensive experimental area of science and technology (pingtan) co., LTD., the total investment of about 3 billion yuan (RMB, same below), its production scale is equivalent to the production of all factory in xiamen, and form a production base in xiamen mobile phone touch screen is given priority to, pingtan base in the production of large size notebook, tablet and TV screen industry pattern. 

According to TPK pingtan factory relevant controller introduces, pingtan factory has begun to enter August equipment, production debugging in September, eventually production in October. By 2014, pingtan factory of large size touch module integrated production capacity will increase to 1.4 million pieces per month. 

At present, TPK have signed long-term supply contracts, and several customers new factory production capacity has been fully booked. 

TPK building on both sides of the "golden triangle" belt implementation in the global competition, the cost advantage is accumulative, at present, fujian pingtan and xiamen have establish a convenient channel with taichung, coupled with the convenience between fujian and Taiwan, the enterprise comprehensive cost is reduced greatly. 

In addition, TPK building on both sides of the taichung plant in the "golden triangle" industry, mainly produces glass, echo, pingtan factory in xiamen on the material. 

Analysis refers to the information industry between fujian and Taiwan, cooperation, and make information products manufacturing industry rapid development in the province, Taiwan investment confidence. 

Before July this year, information product manufacturing industry in fujian the total output value 222.49 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 10.3% over the same; Foreign and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan investment enterprise the total output value 174.66 billion yuan, which accounts for 78.5%, industry output value more than 9.3% increase. 

F - touch panel companies TPK TPK crises and challenges 

F - touch panel companies TPK TPK revenue in June and the overall performance is lower than expected in the second quarter, detonate market more than imagination. On the one hand, the loss of apple order, enough to catch up on what customer order scale, curiously. On the one hand, new technologies have rise implies that new competitors to follow, what TPK TPK how long can cope, let a person worry. Plus originally was favored touch notebook computer applications, new models now poor response to cold and cheerless, consumption market, TPK TPK seems to be the fate of the turning point is facing an unprecedented. 

Apple Apple was once TPK TPK's biggest customer, revenue up to 7 above, Apple iPhone and two popular goods at that time it USES TPK TPK G/G double deck glass structure projected capacitive touch technology. Later apple iPhone 5 turn by day factory - cell in embedded touch-screen technology, the mini switch to photo of monolayer film touch technology in Japan, it is said that the latest may also adopt a thin-film technology, future TPK TPK touch module's relationship with apple only film laminating foundry business, apple officially put out the lamp light. 

Although TPK TPK recently actively adjust the structure of the customer, the customer number from the past 20 to 30, expanding gradually increased to 40-50, and apple two big commodity market share also face strong competition from Korean and Chinese parity model, however, the lack of a single powerful customer's blessing, still make TPK TPK customer structure in the shade. 

From the new generation of touch technology competition, is the TPK TPK more pressing crisis. Based on the mobile device, to the requirement of thin film touch technology in silence after a period of time, improved version of the film touch technology (single layer thin film structure, metal film, etc.) looked up again, by a large number of imported many new phones and tablet computers. In addition, the new material of Metal network Metal Mesh touch technology is brewing, targeting large size touch application market (notebook computer, monitor, etc.), and more familiar with the process of glass panel companies to speed up the steps to launch technology threshold low on - cell, touch panel market is expected the second half of 2013 will be more lively. 

Among them, the Metal Mesh has attracted many film touch panel makers into, for example, interface, etc., the China especially shenzhen ophir launched light Metal Mesh touch panel is in the third quarter of this year, reportedly quantity output, the early is being imported touch notebook computer. 

As for the panel companies put on - cell touch technology, in addition to earlier AMOLED, innolux launched on - cell integrated touch technology is expected in the third quarter of this year in production shipment volumes, chunghwa picture tubes with giantplus developed by two kinds of structure on - cell touch panel (DLS and OLMS) is planning to mass production in the third quarter. Although new technology import need to promote brand suppliers to customers a lot, and other components, organization coordination, but competition from new technologies, new suppliers, for TPK TPK both touch panel makers, such as, after all, is a disadvantage. 

Although TPK TPK respond to change, more recently, actively develop OGS monolithic glass touch technology, not only spend more than 50 t $one hundred million stake in da hong and management control, also paid $400 million for 5.5 generation line in fujian province to build the new factory, new capacity is expected to begin coming in at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2013. If OGS touch technology, however, fail to obtain larger touch as expected application market dominance, TPK TPK about OGS capacity of huge investment, is possible make TPK TPK turn into crisis. 

TPK TPK will skip over the waves in this wave of challenges? Or touch empire fall apart? Actual development must also continue to observe the change of the brand manufacturers for product differentiation of thought and planning, but also depends on the mass production of new technology and new competitors itself, but the development of the relevant factors are also not sure now, but cannot be ruled out. 

TPK's challenge 1: crazy push integrated touch panel factory 

The touch screen is one of electronic science and technology industry bright spot in recent years. Market research firm NPD "predicted that in 2013 the global touch module shipment quantity on 1.57 billion pieces (sets), the annual growth rate for 19%, in 2013 the global touch module shipment amount is $34.1 billion (sales) more challenges look, grew at 41%. The main kinetic energy from the smartphone screen large size, and tablet market growth. Looking to the future, in the use of large size touch (laptops, AIO PC), there could be a wave of high tide touch markets around the world. 

Early application co., LTD., professional touch touch panel market makers in a closed area to enjoy high profits. Now the big trend, not only professional manufacturers, touch TFT - LCD panel giants have also the transformation process, with "part" (3-5 lines) to launch all kinds of integrated, embedded type touch panel, touch squeeze the prospects look good on the prosecution. New competitors, the more for the original manufacturer, had become party when the China frequently loss no longer make the person surprise, at least to still maintain a high profit in the first half of 2013 F - TPK TPK can hold surplus bao tai, special care. 

F - TPK TPK have benefited from the past few years Apple Apple orders, goods sell like hot cakes in the iPhone and the import G/G touch technology and lambe, double deck glass structure from 2009 to 2011 revenue and earnings grow fast. Until apple successively in the new iPhone, the series of products (from the mini) to switch to day factory touch technology double-sided ITO thin film structure, F - TPK TPK 2012 earnings growth slowing, the second quarter of 2013 business interest rate low, after more down to the listed in the third quarter, operation is still low. 

F - actually TPK TPK have seen touch display industry is constantly changing, with new applications may touch laptop driving large size touch screen requirements, while the OGS monolithic glass touch technology once promising is one of the best solutions for stylus electricity. So F - TPK TPK in 2011 invested more than 5.5 billion yuan, to auo group buy issued hong nearly 2 into equity, get the da hong's production capacity and technology, in January 2013 and announced that it will invest 400 million dollars, in China's fujian pingtan construction 1 the new 5.5 generation line factory (production of large size OGS touch panel). 

Market changes, however, is unpredictable, originally like touch laptop than expected development process, combined with the global impact of laptops in the tablet market by extrusion, mature market slow recovery, China's growth slows, the Microsoft operating system version, brands, watching, not only make the F - TPK TPK sinochem strong new factory and China 5.5 generation line pingtan deferred to the new plant put into production time in the first quarter of 2014 (the original order respectively in August 2013 and October 9 - production), da hong came in August 2013 and even human adjustment (cuts). 

Serious still is not only a new capacity production time deferred. More ordeal is whether product technology competition will be able to continue. Nearly 1 years touch solutions is revised, and even refurbished, main department for panel maker familiar with glass process technology, have launched several new type touch technology solutions. Although each for different versions of the name of the new product technology, but in summary is integrated touch technology, integrating touch function to TFT - LCD panel, were simplified production process, manufacturing processes, and convenient customer purchases. Purpose only to reduce the large size of touch panel module, speed up large size touch application such as stylus electricity, AIO PC development. 

If from the point of the recent industry dynamic, F - TPK TPK is facing an important competitors, including the rise of new touch new strength (the Philippines, blue light, wang zhen, Foxconn group, GIS, etc.), as well as TFT - LCD panel maker only part with capacity cuts the integrated touch technology solutions (including the innolux, auo, CPT, caijing, etc.). 

Among them, the light to membrane touch technology is given priority to, regardless of the cost production supply new materials recently Metal Mesh touch panel, and has set up a supply chain into the brand companies. GIS at present main products include membrane touch, OGS, Metal Mesh, touch panel also integrate group resources to provide customers complete + touch module LCM joint solution. Allegedly, the GIS new NB with Metal Mesh touch module may also cost less than traditional OGS touch module price, if the future into the brand system, volume production, will further reduce the cost. 

The integrated touch panel companies technology is from early embedded type evolved touch technology, continuous improvement. Among them, the push auo eTP integrated touch technology, has developed a 11.6 -inch, 14 inch, 15.6 inch NB application eTP integrated touch panel. Group launched a 14 inch and 15.6 inch NB application standardization InnoTouch touch solutions, as well as the AIO PC application OGS monolithic glass 19.5 inch and 21.5 inch. CPT synchronous input on cell and the in - cell touch panel, with 4.5 inch, 5 inch (2.5 D surface glass combination), 5.3 inch, 5.7 inch on - cell (TOC), touch panel, and 10.1 inch, 4.5 inch - in cell (TIC) touch panel. 

TPK's challenge 2: high quality technology no longer too 

"The biggest challenge is in 2013 product DiJiaHua quickly." Freddie said at the meeting, TPK treasurer truth. TPK still excellent, compared with Yu Youda, innolux panel factory, about 6 to 7 to yield, yield of TPK is close to 9, this is the end of 2012 it in touch laptop, with more than ninety percent share of the key. 

Since 2013, however, with the low price mobile phones and computers began to spread, auo and group and also to enter the field, and twenty percent below TPK price solution, even if TPK have again good technology, it is hard to prevent customers are willing to use with rival products at lower prices will, in the price effect, the situation of the current business interest rate drop. 

Previous TPK touch apple smoke single crisis, is a single customer event. This time, TPK is facing customers consumer tastes change. This is a model of an industry transfer, also form a huge crisis better than the former. 

Now, the price is replacing technology, became the new king of battlefield 

As leading consumer electronics blowing wind at a lower price, average price global smartphone from $2011 in 443, fell to $2013 in 372, or 16%. Google, samsung have also cut prices, launched more than 100 dollars cheaper than apple tablets; Bargain brand factory, joint compression components manufacturer's profit space. 

"Now the TPK like Jordan (MichaelJordan) in those days went to play baseball, even if there is a basketball skills, also cannot cast, because without it." Downstream hardware manufacturing industry, chief analyst at ubs securities Asia Pacific Xie Zongwen are described. 

Industry competition focus, TPK and competitors from the panel industry friends, a group of grabbing the SONY, the HP touch laptop order; Light touch big castle in addition, China also became strong enough, offering a more lower than the market price of about 3 into price rob, gritted TPK. 

Facing the itu competition, Freddie acknowledged that DiJiaHua trends faster than can be imagined. But, for TPK to transfer from advanced products of low order, like to eat sugar cane, was enough to cope with the existing technology, production capacity scale, not afraid of rivals will catch up. 

A local brokerage analysts believe, however, has always been known as "touchpanelking" (the king of the touch panel) of TPK, now see is the truth: "before the NB factory price, it is not willing to, think that technology is better than others, customers use are not satisfied, will come back, didn't think was never looked back." In the future, it want to recover the lost territory, launch a low-cost "monolithic glass touch solution" (OGS), at least twenty percent cheaper than the current quotation, in order to be competitive. 

But first, don't talk about profitability, if TPK launch low-cost solutions, whether can guarantee, it also can maintain high city share in the past? 

TPK's challenge 3: decision wrong treasure can only be broken orders 

So far, the difficulty is very high. The reason for this is that touch technology now to divisiveness, that is to say, TPK is hard to like the past, rely on leading technology. 

Count the market existing touch solutions, TPK leading from the past, the technical difficulties of high glass laminating, apple iphone 5 to 2012 substitution of embedded technology (in the cell), and cost and technical difficulties of relatively low diaphragm touch, etc... In 2007, apple and TPK cooperation, launched since the first iPhone with touch function, it is less than 7, new technology, not over time, gradually unified, instead of increasing their differences. 

In February 2013, TPK director Yangtze river toward the red in the face of apple to promote the new development of TOL (Touch on Lens) technology, trying to create. But, "in addition to meizu, LG and China almost didn't hear what is the big customer use it." WitsView research assistant manager Qiu Yubin analysis. Because TOL take small craft, unable to mass production, and attaches great importance to the glass strength, cutting to pieces after plating, to reduce cost, when the price be the first consideration, client such technology is hard to be favorred. 

Touch technology difference, as long as the decision not to treasure, is easy to loss of the order. For example, apple's latest lofty take more frivolous "double touch ITO film solution" (hereinafter referred to as GF2), panel to a sharp, JDI, such as metal supply, thin film is Japan's photo for touch sensors, TPK from leading role in a supporting role, only and hon hai's Internet broken joint orders, importance.