NAND flash controller chipmaker Phison Electronics will exert all-out efforts, including price reductions, to ramp up its shipments of SSD devices in the third quarter of 2014, according to company chairman Khein-Seng Pua.

For upgrading the performance of SSD products, Phison has recently rolled out a new SSD controller IC in cooperation with Toshiba, Pua noted, adding that Phison will produce the chips with an initial volume of 1-2 million units at United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) using a 55nm process, Pua said.

Meanwhile, Phison has reported revenues of NT$2.72 billion (US$90.68 million) for June, down 1.7% on month but up 3.9% on year. However, the company said its gross margin hit a record high of 20% in June, buoyed by increased shipments of NAND flash controller chips.

For the second quarter of 2014, revenues totaled NT$8.09 billion, increasing 5% from the previous quarter. Shipments of eMMC controller ICs expanded significantly in the second quarter thanks orders from Kingston Technoloyg, Micron Technology and MediaTek.