South Korean chip foundries are seeing the operation rate of their fabs drop steeply, TheElec has learned.With the exception of Samsung, which is still seeing high demand from advanced nodes, local foundry companies such as DB Hitek, Key Foundry, Magnachip, and SK Hynix System IC are seeing their op

LG Innotek said on Thursday that it has developed two lenses made out of both plastic and glass aimed at application in self-driving automobiles.These new lenses are thinner by 20% to 30% and smaller than existing lenses made out of glass. But it maintains the same performance and being thinner mean

Zhejiang Hangke is taking part in the equipment bidding process by BlueOval SK, the battery joint venture between SK On and Ford, for its factory in the US, TheElec has learned.The Chinese equipment maker’s bid is a late entry and it will be competing with South Korean rivals Kapjin and Wonik PNE.Th

Pellicles used in Arf and Krf processes in wafer fabrication are in short supply.This is because more fabless companies in China are rising daily, while overall demand for the commodity has increased as chipmakers aim to develop new semiconductors.In South Korea, only FST manufactures pellicles and

Volkswagen is planning to hire South Korean staff at a larger scale than before.Its subsidiary, PowerCo, is holding a job conference in the country from December 12 to 13.It has previously used agents or existing staff to inject new blood. This is the first time it is holding an event to hire new pe

Wonik Group has acquired a display driver IC (DDI) fabless chip firm only a year old, TheElec has learned.The move is highly unusual as the group has so far focused on mostly material and production equipment for chips and displays.Wonik Holdings, the holding company of the business group, wholly ac

LG Display is expected to launch large OLED panels with micro lens array technology which will improve brightness and power consumption.The South Korean display panel maker first unveiled a 77-inch 8K OLED panel with the technology and deuterium applied at SID 2022 in May this year.Micro lens array

The cathode joint venture between EcoPro BM, SK On, and Ford will set up their factory in the US.The factory will produce precursors used to produce cathode, the core material used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries. The move is a response to the US Inflation Reduction Act.In an investor rela

South Korean blank mask manufacturer S&S Tech is planning to install deposition machines used in the production of blank masks for use in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) next month.The installation is the final step ahead of production and the company is planning for commercial mass production to start in

SK On has begun reviewing a spending plan to expand its electric vehicle battery factory in Seosan, South Korea, TheElec has learned.The expansion is being considered to better respond to demand from Hyundai Motor, which is planning to build a new electric vehicle production facility in South Korea.

The legal dispute between the City of Dangjin and Ram Technology over the company’s planned hydrogen fluoride factory has started this month.The company had filed an administrative lawsuit against the city after it refused Ram Technology’s plan to build a factory at Dangjin back in August 2021.Hydro

Spending on display production equipment will drop in 2023 and 2024 compared to this year, according to analyst firm Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC).Spending this year will be US$12 billion but this will drop by 63% to US$4.4 billion next year.This will increase again in 2024 to US$8.3 billi

China’s BOE has been removed from the official list of suppliers for this year of Samsung published by the South Korean tech giant.Meanwhile, China’s Sunny Optical was newly added __ Japan’s Alps Electric, Nitto Denko, and Rohm were also noticeably absent.Samsung publishes its list of suppliers bian

Fab equipment coating and cleaning solution firm Komico is planning to spend at least US$30 million to expand its factory in Austin, Texas, TheElec has learned.The move is done to better react to customer Samsung’s demand there as the tech giant is building a new foundry fab in Taylor.It provides Sa

Hyundai Motor is planning to apply CATL’s cell to pack technology on its new electric vehicles next year.The technology, which puts battery cells into packs directly without modules, will be adopted on new light electric vehicle models such as the Kia Ray first, sources said.However, the auto giant

Chinese display giant CSOT is continuing to postpone the installation of equipment at its T5 factory dedicated to Gen 6 liquid crystal display (LCD) panel production, TheElec has learned.This is despite company chairman Li Dongsheng making a personal visit to South Korea during the summer when he as

Korea Zinc’s expansion into energy and resource development businesses could mean that it could end its relationship with its largest shareholder Youngpoong Group.On Wednesday, Korea Zinc announced that it will commence share swaps with LG Chem and Hanwha Corporation worth 256.7 billion won and 156.

Outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) Winpac company recorded 40.5 billion won in revenue during the third quarter, a jump of 76% year-on-year.The company also recorded an operating profit of 1.2 billion won __ a return to black from last year’s operating loss.Winpac CEO Lee Han-gyu told

Fabless chip firm Abov said on Wednesday that it recorded 45.57 billion won in revenue and 5.256 billion won in operating in the third quarter.Revenue dropped 20% from the prior quarter.The company specializes in microcontroller unit (MCU) which was in short supply during the pandemic.Demand surpass

SK On has started installing equipment into its planned new EV battery factory in Hungary, TheElec has learned.The factory at Ivancsa will be its third factory in Europe. It plans to build two at Ivancsa and the equipment are being placed for the first one.The first factory will have an annual outpu