Singapore-based EMS (Electronics Manufacturing
Services) provider Flextronics announced on July 13 the establishment of a
design and R&D center for notebook PCs in Taiwan, Economic Daily News of
Taiwan reported. Named Computing Segment Notebook Center, the facility is located
in Banciao, Taipei County. The Banciao facility combines Flextronics' two existing
computing product design centers in Taiwan and will be dedicated to providing
notebook PC design services for brand-name customers. Flextronics projects an
overall R&D staff of around 1,500 at the Banciao facility, and the company
estimates that its notebook PC manufacturing capacity will be able to reach 10
million units in full-year 2009.
Previously in 2007, Flextronics acquired
Taiwan-based Arima Computer's PC business unit for US$192 million. Around 400
Arima engineers in Taipei and 200 in Wujiang, China, were all absorbed by
Flextronics. Currently Flextronics has two production sites in Taiwan,
specializing in ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) and JDM (Joint Design Manufacturing)
services for notebook PC OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). It is
expected that with the establishment of the Banciao R&D facility,
Flextronics will continue to expand its presence in Taiwan's notebook PC manufacturing
industry.