Crystal
IS Continues to Grow
August 12, 2004...Crystal IS, an especially promising nitride-related
substrate startup in Watervliet, New York USA, is growing, and they're
growing more than just native aluminum nitride substrates. They're growing
their management staff as well as the company transitions their substrates
from R&D to volume manufacturing. The newest appointments to the
Crystal IS team is David Usher as VP of Operations and CPA Kathryn Good
is coming on board as the company's Controller. In the newly created
VP of Operations position, David will oversee the entire manufacturing
process and will focus on increasing manufacturing capacity and quality
while reducing manufacturing costs. ¡°We are very pleased to add Dave
to our team at this critical time in our company¡¯s growth,¡± commented
Leo Schowalter, Founder, President and CEO of Crystal IS.
Dave
Usher began his association with Crystal IS as a consultant and was
brought into Crystal's family as the new head of operations, which meant
Keith Evans would need to move up a slot... or two. Keith is now Chief
Marketing Officer (CMO?) and Sr. VP of Business Development. Dave, who
has more than seventeen years experience in engineering, manufacturing,
research administration, and business management, origianlly hails from
Hubbell Inc. (a Fortune 500 company), and also served as VP of Business
Development for X-Ray Optical Systems, Inc. Kathryn Good is a veteran
controller, most recently having served in that capacity for Molecular
OptoElectronics Corporation. ¡°Crystal IS has been successful in positioning
itself as the leader in the commercialization of AlN for electronic
and optoelectronic industries, and we look forward to strengthening
the existing momentum for the next phase of growth. Dave and Kathryn
are key additions to our team to help us accomplish this goal,"
added Leo, with a startup founder's traditional... and justifiable pride.
Company news release
Agilent
Adds Bright White LEDs to Blue Spectrum Offerings
August 12, 2004...Agilent Technologies Inc. of Palo Alto, California
USA has introduced a series of what they are terming "extra-bright"
white InGaN LEDs which they are targeting to the electronic sign and
signals market. "Our new series of white LED lamps complements
our recent introduction of blue, green and cyan LEDs and completes our
product portfolio of extra-bright InGaN lamps," commented Soo-Ghee
Lee, VP and GM of Agilent's Optoelectronic Products Division. "As
an LED leader, we're committed to supporting our customers' electronic
sign and signals applications with the highest-quality products in the
high volumes required." These newest offerings are Agilent's brightest
white InGaN LEDs and their entry into the market will enable Agilent
to address a wider range of indoor and outdoor applications. What Agilent
brings to the blue spectrum party is the combination of high brightness
and weather-resistant packaging that they feel makes these LEDs ideal
for applications such as gaming machines, traffic signals and signs,
stadium scoreboards, advertising and other variable message signs.
The
new white LED products are referred to as the HLMP-CWxx which is a circular-pattern
and the HLMP-FWxx which are flat-top extra-bright white LED lamps. Both
are from Agilent's Semiconductor Products Group and are available in
15-, 23-, 30-, 50-, 70- and 85-degree circular viewing angles. The spatial
radiation pattern and high luminosity make these devices especially
appropriate for wide field-of-view outdoor applications, where a wide
viewing angle and readability in sunlight are essential. Based on flip
chip packaging technology, these new exta-bright whites are being supplied
by Agilent in 5 mm (T-1 3/4) through-hole packages and combine the company's
advanced through-hole packaging technology to ensure maximum light extraction
from the die, which is attached within the reflector cavity, which is,
in turn, encapsulated by Agilent's proprietary epoxy blend resulting
in the lamps performing with especially high reliability over the -40
C to +85 C temperature range and are protected from UV radiation and
humid environments. Prices have been set at $0.42 each in 1,000,000-piece
quantities with samples and production quantities available with a four-week
guaranteed lead-time. Company news release
Opto
Tech Forecasts Growth Based on Nichia Agreement
August 12, 2004...As follow-up to our August 5th headline news exclusive
to LIGHTimes Online (which, for a time, will continue to be cloned and
offered free to the general public over LIGHTimes and CompoundSemi News)
"Nichia Teams with Opto Tech and First Wave Taiwan Allies on Blue
Spectrum LEDs," ... a report which we feel marks a pivotal juncture
in the licensing of Nichia's white LED technology to Taiwan companies...
we see where DigiTimes reporters Irene Chen and Jessie Shen have posted
an article titled "Opto Tech forecasts revenue growth on new orders
for LEDs and OLEDs". In it, Opto Tech's President, Ming-der Lin,
is quoted as reporting that Opto Tech's revenues in July reached NT$547
and that the company anticipates monthly revenues in Q-3 to remain around
the NT$500 million mark, and rise to approximately NT$550 million monthly
by Q-4.
Opto
Tech's President also noted that his company plans to begin initial
shipments of blue and green LEDs to some of Nichia's customers in October.
Reading between the lines... that translates into meaning that Highlink
is already beginning their ramp of blue spectrum LEDs to Opto Tech.
Various sources close to LIGHTimes Online have confirmed that Highlink
is a pivotal blue link to the Nichia/Opto Tech licensing and supply
arrangement. Opto Tech was also reported to be landing new orders for
OLEDs from European vendors. President Ming-der Lin noted that the projected
monthly revenues for OLEDs should hit NT$60-100 million in the fourth
quarter, which would be an upward climb from their current NT$40 million.
The article post of Chen's and Shen's report includes DigiTimes' usual
spiffy, helpful charts.
Cree
Commits $300 Million to Continued USA Expansion in North Carolina
August 10, 2004...As Cree continues to move up the international blue
spectrum LED brightness levels and value chain, global observers will
note that this USA multifaceted wide bandgap leader has formally committed
to spending an additional $300 million for plant and equipment expansion
in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, near the existing corporate
headquarters for Cree in Durham. The expansion includes plans to create
300 additional new USA jobs as well. The company received approximately
$5.1 million in incentives related to the job creation, capital expenditures
and R&D activity from its home state of North Carolina. The expansion
project will begin this fall and the job growth will occur over the
ensuing five years. When so many USA companies are either forced to
cut back due to continued difficult economic pressures, outsourcing
their manufacturing, or taking any expansion offshore, Cree's dramatic
expansion in the USA is taken as an exceedingly uplifting sign and another
major confirmation of the robustness of the flourishing blue spectrum
LED field. According to Chuck Swoboda, Cree's President and CEO, "This
expansion will help Cree support the strong demand for our LED chip
products and position the company for our targeted future growth not
only in LED chips, but also our new XLamp and power product lines. We
are pleased to be expanding in North Carolina and greatly appreciate
the support from the state of North Carolina." Company news release
Densen
Cao
CAO Group, Inc.
8683 South 700 West
Sandy, UT 84070
801-256-9282 (tel)
801-256-9287 (fax)
www.caogroup.com (web)
