Apr. 11, 2001

Taiwan's Everest Technology recently announced that it would soon set up a joint venture with an upstream component supplier to produce liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors based on reflective liquid crystal on silicone (LCOS) technology.

Everest is the first Taiwan maker to mass manufactures LCOS LCD projectors. According to the company, the venture will be launched as early as the second quarter of this year. Everest and its partner, listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, will each hold a 50% stake in the new firm. Everest said it would not disclose the partner's name before all details are finalized.

Everest unveiled its first LCOS LCD projector, a 0.97-inch model, last August and began production late last year. After winning an OEM order from Polaroit, it began developing a second-generation model. Currently, Everest operates one production line for LCD projectors and another one for color filters. The company said it is working in a 0.72-inch LCD projector model. Aurora of the U.S. Volume production is expected to start in third quarter 2001 with 8,000 units to be shipped this year will supply the LCOS LCD panels.

Everest decided to focus on LCOS projectors since patent barriers and an unstable supply of key components complicated its entry in the market for transmissive digital light processing (DLP) models. LCOS projectors are also cheaper than DLP counterparts, making it easier to win OEM orders for lower-end models from international brands, the company said.

Everest lost about US$ 1,8 million last year and expects to break even from June this year and become profitable by year-end, according to local economic reports.