NAND flash device controller supplier Phison Electronics is looking to expand its SSD operation in 2015, according to company chairman Khein-Seng Pua.

Phison is considering issuing new shares through private placement later in 2015, in order to bring in new partners, said Pua. The company's target investor or investors should be involved in the SSD field, Pua indicated.

Upstream chip suppliers and downstream customers are both the potential targets, Pua noted.

Phison also does not rule out acquiring other companies whose products can complement Phison's SSD product line, Pua said. Pua added that the company currently has about NT$10 billion (US$320 million) in cash on hand.

In addition, Phison plans to set up an R&D center in China later in 2015, according to Pua. While working to expand its customer base in China, Phison also expects to hire local R&D talent.

For 2015, Pua expressed optimism that demand for SSDs and eMMC devices for use in smartphones and PCs will be brisk. Phison sources NAND flash chips from Toshiba, Micron Technology and SanDisk.

Phison's controller shipments for SSDs have topped one million units monthly, said Pua, adding that the company has entered the supply chains of several notebook manufacturers. As for its eMMC controller business, the segment is expected to account for more than 50% of Phison's overall revenues in 2015 with shipments set to reach 80-90 million units in the second quarter, Pua said.