DNP and Unimicron to Establish Printed Wiring Board Joint Venture

Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd (DNP) and Unimicron Technology Corporation, the Taiwan based maker of printed wiring boards, announce an agreement on the establishment in late June 2008 in Hong Kong, of UD Alliance Technology Limited, a joint venture between the two companies, which will specialize in the manufacturing and marketing of printed wiring boards based on B2it, DNP's buildup board manufacturing technology.

According to the companies, demand for high function, high density printed wiring boards is forecast to see further expansion going forward, in line with the spread in high function mobile phones in recent years. In many instances, manufacturing of mobile phone terminals is carried out in China and the Asian region, and there are increasing calls for printed wiring board makers to make it possible to answer that demand in a timely fashion from a location closer to the factories of the mobile terminal makers, which serve as their clients.

The new company will sign a patent license agreement covering B2it technology with DNP, and manufacture and market printed wiring boards based on this technology. The new company will contract manufacturing to the Unimicron factory in Kunshan, China, and will market end products to DNP and Unimicron in the first instance, the companies said.

In addition to helping DNP strengthen its production system for printed wiring boards based on B2it, and further expand its business, by providing B2it related manufacturing technology support to Unimicron, the establishment of this new company will also pave the way for the global standardization of B2it technology, itself. As far as Unimicron is concerned, adopting B2it technology will help the company to strengthen its production system for high function, high density printed wiring boards, and Unimicron plans to enhance its cost reduction effect through mass production.

www.dnp.co.jp
www.unimicron.com