Suppliers eye midrange, high-end markets

Tightening competition from mainland China is forcing Taiwan suppliers of EL displays to explore niche markets and offer design and customization services. Makers concentrate mostly on midrange and upscale products that feature a more complex design structure. This is to avoid low-end versions such as 0.5mm-thick EL panels used on shirts, which are offered by mainland rivals. The EU and Japan are the major export destinations for the former.

Thinner models with uniform brightness, lower power consumption and enhanced flexibility drive development initiatives. Cochief Industrial Co. Ltd, for example, has a versatile EL display with just 0.1mm thickness.

Some enterprises continue to offer units for general-purpose indoor electronic sign and backlight applications. Thinning margins in this segment, however, will likely diminish turnout in the years ahead.

Among all display technologies, the main advantages of EL variants are low cost and capability for self-illumination. Their flexibility positions them as a good alternative to OLED types, which are more expensive.

Despite these benefits, the line in Taiwan has shrunk to fewer than five manufacturers due to intense competition. Most surviving players are venturing into other products to remain afloat.

Cochief, for example, turns out EL display backlights for keypads and keyboards. It provides custom-made units for industrial instruments, vehicle dashboards, indoor lighting and advertisement signs.