China focus. (Corporate Focus).China figures big in Diodes' plan. This year, the company opened a sales and distribution facility in Hong Kong Hong Kong (hŏng kŏng), Mandarin Xianggang, special administrative region of China, formerly a British crown colony (2005 est. pop. 6,899,000), land area 422 sq mi (1,092 sq km), adjacent to Guangdong prov. to help chase the growing market in China. It has also converted a manufacturing facility in Taiwan to become its Asian sales and distribution headquarters, and it's opened sales offices in Shanghai and in Shenzhen on mainland China across from Hong Kong, doubling its Asian sales force this year. "The China market has a huge potential," Wertz said, noting that success will take patience. "You don't just open a door and then sell right away," he said. In late 2000, Diodes also purchased a wafer foundry, or fab, near Kansas City Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). that serves as a budding budding, type of grafting in which a plant bud is inserted under the bark of the stock (usually not more than a year old). It is best done when the bark will peel easily and the buds are mature, as in spring, late summer, or early autumn. research and development center. The company still buys most of its wafers wafers compressed roughage in flat plates useful for feeding to animals in transit. from suppliers in Asia, Wertz said. But the foundry purchase reflects longer-term changes. The company was originally a distributor, buying and reselling diodes and related components. (Diodes keep electric currents flowing in one direction, and are used in convening con·vene v. con·vened, con·ven·ing, con·venes v.intr. To come together usually for an official or public purpose; assemble formally. v.tr. 1. AC current into DC, for example.) Around 1995, it began a joint manufacturing venture in Shanghai, which now produces about 50 percent of its products. The move helped gain control over aspects of manufacturing, such as costs and quality control. Later, the company wanted to develop some of its own products, Wertz said. The timing of the foundry purchase could have been better. "We struggled to get that fab up to where it is now' Wertz said. Financial Editor Anthony Palazzo pa·laz·zo n. pl. pa·laz·zi or pa·laz·zos A large splendid residence or public building, such as a palace or museum. [Italian, from Latin Pal can be reached at 323-549-5225, ext. 224, or at tpalazzo@laburinessjournal.com. |
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