Electronic paper prequel: "Second-line small factory" 15 "salted fish Turn"

The electronic paper principle E-ink display system depends on the black and white particles suspended in the transparent liquid. When a negative field is applied above the electrode plate, white particles with positive charge will be attracted to the electrode plate in the electric field, where the electrode plate is displayed white, and the black particles with positive charge are repelled to the bottom to hide under the action of electric field.　　When a positive field is applied to the upper electrode plate, the movement of the black particle and the white particle is the opposite, which is the basic principle of the electronic paper. Using the smile curve to describe the electronic book industry chain is the most appropriate: content suppliers and electronic paper manufacturers are the most profitable parts of the curve at both ends.　　When publishers, readers, and telecom operators all have to climb the content side of the competition, no one can do anything, at the other end of the curve, across the channel, a company has emerged. This protagonist is called Taiwan Yuan Tai Technology Industry AG (Primeview INTERNATIONAL,PVI, under the "Yuan too)." Before the birth of electronic paper, it is only a focus on the TFT (LCD screen) production of "second-line company."　　Until the E-book craze, the company has been in the TFT Jedi fight small companies finally played a beautiful turn over the war. Interestingly, the company's major shareholder, Yongfeng Group, or the traditional paper started. E-books Chairman PVI, in an interview with the Financial Times, said the chairman of Yongfeng Group Hoshou has always had feelings for paper and was surprised when he saw the technology (early electronic paper), which he thought might be promising and could even affect the entire future of traditional paper. "We could have overlooked the technology or destroyed it, but we decided to get involved." "The decision at that time saw the dawn of the last 15 years. To date, the hands of large customers such as Amazon, Sony, Han Wang, such as the E-books, is still the only way to achieve electronic paper production suppliers. According to the yuan too disclosed earnings, the yuan too January revenue 1.26 billion yuan, compared to the same period last year 154%, add the subsidiary E-ink, Hydis, the January consolidated revenue 1.573 billion yuan, compared to the same period last year growth 118%.　　, E-ink will continue to expand its capacity by 3 times times this year, so it is estimated that the world's electronic paper market share will still reach 75% this year. Desperate to find the "fate of the community," established in 1992, E-books, is the first in Taiwan Yong-ft panel factory T. But in the face of Taiwan's "Panel five Tigers" announced to build 4-generation, 5-generation factory, Yuan too only a 2 5 generation plant.　　In the 1997, the yuan too once faced with the transition will be plunged into a desperate situation. 2003, the yuan too finally found a blue sea market: annual growth rate of more than 60% portable DVD player (Portable DVD).　　This "discovery" made the yuan too much to get the market return, 2004 revenue increased significantly to NT $12 billion. But prosperity is only a year old. Other manufacturers followed, friends Tatsu, Chi Mei Electric withCost advantage to reduce the price of portable DVD players from 199 dollars to 149 dollars.　　In the 2005, E-books, who had just escaped the impasse, again lost his turn. "Learning to build high technology threshold, there is a chance to survive." "This is Liu Sicheng's summary.　　Based on this understanding, when he and Hoshou saw the emerging e-book trend, he immediately let go of a bo. Therefore, when the yuan too portable DVD products piled up in warehouses, still at one weeks of speed, the acquisition of Philips's electronic paper display Department (EPD), cut into electronic paper, formally entered the first step of the E-book industry.　　Since then, the yuan is too small size panel from the second-tier manufacturers, and this new technology into a destiny community.　　The market background, however, was that, according to market research firm ISUPPLI, the global E-book market was less than 100,000, and the U.S. market was worth only 10 million dollars.　　With mergers and acquisitions before the merger case, Yuan too annual research and development costs accounted for revenue in the 2.8%, the year's research and development costs have increased nearly 90 million yuan, accounting for nearly 3% of revenue, the next year research and development cost ratio reached more than 3.1%. In the electronic communication production industry, whether a new technology can become mainstream, reach the mass production realm is the basic requirement.　　As early as the plasma, O LED and LC D panel mainstream controversy, the result is the first energy-producing LCD outlet. 2006, the yuan too that is officially Sony's ebook ebook reader of the supplier, that year's shipments are not large, the yuan is still small size panel for the main revenue source. The 2007-year dollar was the first to become Amazon E-book K indle electronic paper suppliers, the Kindle after the launch of a gun and red, the yuan too finally surfaced, reputation big noise.　　This year is also the yuan for the first time in 3 years because of the rich profit of electronic paper, the surplus of 1.84 yuan per share, gross profit margin than 2006 twice times more than the rise, back to 2004 level.　　Based on optimistic expectations of the future, Yuan too actively expand production capacity, decided to buy Korea Small and medium-sized panel factory Hydis, production line increased to 4.　　In the market to the enthusiastic response to e-books driven by the early June 2009, the yuan too again despite the ugly results of the figures, big moves mergers and acquisitions of electronic ink supplier E-ink. In fact, with Philips, three buy combining, yuan too at least spent more than 16 billion yuan, is more than twice times the share capital.　　But buy and H Ydis, management performance is not good, to acquire E-ink, Yuan too two quarter loss amount amounted to 841 million yuan. Founded in 1997, E-ink is the world's largest supplier of chemical microcapsule, one of the pioneers in the development of electronic paper. Last year, the yuan too began negotiations on a potential takeover with the Massachusetts-headquartered company, also a partner of the yuan too many years.　　In the end, the yuan too agreed to 215 million dollars in cash plus a part of the shares of the acquisition of E-ink ——— by the yuan too current price calculation, worth about 300 million U.S. dollars. Through the acquisition of multi-year partner E-ink, TimA rise in the yuan too in the field of electronic reader monopoly.　　The tiger of the newborn calf the electronic paper is too temporary to win the opportunity, but as a technical application on the eve of the explosion, in the E-book market, the yuan too e-ink electronic paper technology only support Black-and-white display, the future in full color and touch these two technologies can still remain ahead, or unknown.　　In other words, if the two-year dollar is not in the new technology to maintain a certain lead, the new technology advantage of the bud not only can not play, but may let the company because of excessive indebtedness, and deep financial crisis.　　Moreover, even if the technology leader, the face of market tigers such as friends and other manufacturers of the usual tricks: such as market maturity and then cut, with economic scale to start price competition. It is worth mentioning that the success of the Kindle has begun to change the thinking of the panel makers, March 11 this year, the report pointed out that friends with 30 million of dollars to buy electronic ink key technology manufacturers sipix31.58% to become the largest shareholder, so that electronic paper in addition to E-ink technology monopoly more than another option.　　In addition, Taiwan Tatsu Power, the United States and other manufacturers also announced that the market will soon launch the weight of mass production products. In the past, the yuan too in the portable DVD player defeated the battle, how not to repeat the same?　　In addition to Yuan Tai general manager Fu said always faster than the opponent two years of technical advantages, this also tests the yuan too the layout of wisdom.　　(Reporter Synthesis Report) "electronic paper" Evolution History 1975 Xerox Parker Research Center researchers pioneered the concept of electronic paper and electronic ink.　　1992 by the paper industry leader Yong Foong, become Taiwan's first TFT panel factory.　　1996 MIT Bell Labs successfully built prototypes of electronic paper.　　1997 Face the pressure of transition.　　1997 Bell Labs for the E-ink set up to study the commercialization of electronic paper.　　E-ink and Lucent Technologies announced the successful development of the first sheet of paper and electronic ink that could be curled.　　2001 E-ink again announced the introduction of electronic paper can display active images.　　2002 at the Tokyo International Book Fair, the first color electronic paper appeared.　　2003 in the Portable DVD panel field first taste of sweetness.　　2004 by E-ink and Philips to provide technical support, Sony production of the "First" commercial ebook published.　　2005 defeated in the price war, May mergers and acquisitions Philips electronic paper display division.　　2006 officially become the exclusive supplier of Sony Electronic reader panel.　　2007 first to become the Kindle's electronic paper supplier, Yuan is also for the first time because of electronic paper profit quite abundant, the second half of the acquisition of South Korea Small and medium-sized panel factory Hydis.　　The Kindle, which came out at the end of 2007, sold up to millions in a year.　　2009 June Acquisition of electronic ink supplier E-ink. (Source: Public report) know more D Yong Feng Yuyongfung Yu paper hasLimited Company was founded in 1950, is the largest paper listed companies in Taiwan. Half a century has been growing, has become a paper, finance, computer, engineering, education and biochemical science and technology of the six core business groups of the multi-Kok enterprises. Realize the annual output value of about 600 million dollars. (Source: Wikipedia)