Taiwan-based LED chipmakers Epistar and Lextar Electronics and LED packaging houses Everlight Electronics saw October 2010 revenues drop sequentially by 7%, 37.51% and 10.63%, respectively, while fellow chipmaker Genesis Photonics and LED-packaging house Unity Opto Technology saw their October revenues increase 5.41% and 5%, respectively, on month.

Epistar's October revenues decreased by 7% sequentially but increased 34% on year to NT$1.71 billion (US$56.64 million). Accumulated revenues from January to October totaled NT$16.66 billion, up 64.5% on year.

Epistar indicated that the revenue drop was due to weaker than expected demand for notebook and TV backlighting, as well as the traditional weak season for small- to medium-size products. Orders in November are expected to pick up due to demand for new LED-backlit TVs.

Everlight was also affected by the traditional weak season and dropping demand for TV backlighting due to inventory adjustment, revenues in October decreased 10.63% sequentially but increased 10% on year to NT$1.25 billion. Accumulated revenues for January-October totaled NT$14.06 billion.

Lextar's October revenues were NT$502 million, a decrease of 37.51% sequentially but an increase of 97.02% on year. Revenues for January to October totaled NT$6.83 billion, up 372.86% on year.

Unity Opto has posted revenues of NT$550 million for October, up 5% sequentially. Revenues for the first ten months were NT$5.7 billion, up 77% on year.

Orders and shipments for LED-backlit TVs started to return in October after inventory adjustment in the third quarter, Unity Opto noted.

Genesis's revenues for October amounted to NT$331 million, up 5.41% sequentially and 250% on year. Accumulated revenues for January-October were NT$2.32 billion, up 177.38% on year.

Revenue growth was due to new capacity and orders from the TV backlighting supply chain. Genesis expects to expand its MOCVD sets to 55 in the fourth quarter of 2010, up from 35 sets.