Where there is a display, there is a possibility that the touch function exists, so for the touch module manufacturer, this is a market with great development space. However, in terms of the cost of smart phones and tablet computers, the cost of touch modules accounts for a very high proportion of the overall cost. According to a research report by Credit Suisse Securities, panels and touch modules account for 20% of the cost of materials in the Apple product line. %; iPad 2 increased to 27.36%, the new generation iPad because of higher resolution requirements, so the cost ratio of the panel and touch module is 5.6% higher than the iPad 2. Therefore, the touch module always has the pressure to reduce the price. In fact, the touch module industry is required to reduce the price by about 20% to 30% in 2012.



In this wave of touch, the most eye-catching company, because it is a member of Apple's supply chain, is actively pursuing vertical integration under the pressure of price cuts, in order to strive for profit margins. At the corporate briefing held recently, the company General Manager Sun Daming said that through vertical integration, the gross profit margin of Haohong has been improved. The self-sufficiency rate of small-size touch-sensitive glass has increased to 77%, and the self-sufficiency rate of products above 7吋 has also increased to 66%. In addition, protection The glass production line has also started mass production.




However, although Shunhong can benefit from the upcoming benefits of the new iPad, there is also a long-term concern, that is, the shift of touch technology. In response to this trend, Shun Hong is also actively deploying a monolithic touch panel (Touch on Lens). , TOL), is expected to start production in July this year. In addition, after the acquisition of Dahong, the company plans to integrate the Dahong Suzhou plant into the Xiamen office in the first half of this year, and the capacity of the touch module will be expanded to 2 million.




Single-layer structure touch module is coming

In the first wave of touch module wars, Suihong, which is based on double-glazed technology, is undoubtedly the biggest winner. Therefore, if you want to win the market share from Suihong, it is obviously necessary to find another way, that is, from a single-layer structure. The new touch technology is starting. The general capacitive touch panel structure adopts a multi-layer structure with a touch sensor under the cover glass. This structure not only increases the design difficulty, but also increases the cost and increases the production time. At present, the industry has invested in a single layer of protective glass to complete the touch technology. This way of placing all the sensing circuits on the protective glass, the thinnest and lightest structure can be achieved, and the cost of a piece of glass, a film and a chip can be saved, plus the PCB board. The component cost saved on the whole can achieve the lowest material cost as a whole. Furthermore, many brand manufacturers, such as Nokia, Apple, and Samsung, began to demand lighter, thinner, and more cost-competitive touch panels in 2011, so it is expected that touch technology with a single-layer structure will accelerate adoption.




At the beginning of May 2011, Shenghua Technology has developed the advanced touch technology ATT (Advanced Technology Touch), which uses the touch sensor directly on the protective glass, and the two glass processes become one piece. Therefore, the ATT touch panel can be lighter and thinner, and the light transmittance is 92%, and the cost can be reduced by about 20% to 30%. At present, Shenghua's ATT technology has entered the supply chain of HTC and other brand owners.




In addition, Shenghua is also optimistic about AMOLED as the mainstream of the future touch panel, so it has planned to develop touch AMOLED technology, which is expected to invest about 100 million Taiwan dollars, which will be produced in the second half of 2013. Shenghua's production plants are located in Taichung, Yangmei, Taiwan, Suzhou, Dongguan, Vietnam, and India. At present, Shenghua's medium-sized touch module has a monthly capacity of about 3.5 million units. The small-size touch panel has a monthly capacity of 10 million pieces, a medium-sized touch panel of 5.7 million pieces, a small-sized protective glass with a monthly capacity of 1 million pieces, and a medium-sized protective glass of about 500,000 pieces.