Powertech Technology (PTI) has seen its utilization rate average 95%, buoyed by strong orders for memory chips, according to market watchers. The visibility of orders at the backend service provider is clear through the last quarter of 2010, the watchers indicated.
Around 60-70% of PTI's sales were generated by orders for DRAM products in the first quarter of 2010, said the watchers, adding that the proportion rose to 70-80% in the second quarter.
PTI's revenues for June are likely to top NT$3.1 billion (US$96.5 million), hitting a record for the second consecutive month, according to the watchers. Revenues for the third and fourth quarters are expected to show single-digit growth sequentially amid sustained high utilization.
PTI has estimated that it would register a single-digit revenue growth sequentially in the second quarter, and maintain a flat gross margin. The backend firm saw revenues and profits for the first quarter exceed its guidance.
PTI earlier revealed plans to add 3-5 high-speed testers for DDR3 memory for a total of 23-25 units by the end of 2010. The company also expects to expand its overall packaging capacity for DRAM chips to 240-250 million units a month at the end of the year, up from the current 200 million.
Elpida Memory and Rexchip Electronics reportedly are among PTI's major DRAM customers, as well as Powerchip Technology and ProMOS Technologies.