DigiTimes reports us that after last January's shortage of pick-up
heads (PUHs), Taiwanese suppliers have now confirmed
that another key component in recordable DVD
drives is in short supply, namely the flexible printed
circuits:
 As flexible printed circuits are an important component in
recordable DVD drives, the shortage has reportedly affected shipments by
Taiwanese recordable DVD drive manufacturers, some of whom have begun
contract manufacturing for Japanese brand vendors.
Flexible printed circuits
have long not been able to command high prices or profits, so suppliers
had been conservative about expanding capacity. Current capacity expansion
is not expected to alleviate the shortage before until the end of the
third quarter.
Especially due to recent rush
orders, capacity utilization has been high. Flexible printed circuits used in digital
still cameras (DSCs) and DVD players as well as other types of optical
storage drives are also said to be in short
supply. |
Source: DigiTimes
