Shares of Taiwan-based solder material supplier Chernan Technology made their debut on the OTC (over-the-counter) stock market with an initial price of NT$50 (US$1.674) on December 20.

In addition to its core products, solder wires, solder bars and lead-free solder pastes, the company will also develop halogen-free solder pastes for SMT applications and solder spheres for BGA (ball-grid array) applications, according to the company.

Chernan will also venture into the precious metal recovery and refining business in the first quarter of 2011, and expects the new business to be a growth driver in 2011.

The company claimed that it is the only foreign-invested company to have secured a license from the government in Jiangxi, China to engage in metal recovery and refining business locally.

Recycled metals accounted for 23.61% of all metal products produced in China in 2009, and the ratio climbed to 30.55% as the end of the third quarter of 2010, indicated the company, adding it expects the ratio to grow even higher in the future.

Following the establishment of the refining business, Chernan is expected to yield a 10% self-sufficiency rate for the production of tin products initially with the ratio climbing to 30% by the end of 2011, the company estimated.

The metal recycling plant will commerce its operations in the second quarter of 2011 aiming to roll out 600 tons of recycled metals a month initially and the company plans to expand its capacity to 1,000 tons by 2014.