Taiwan-based polarizer makers are poised to embrace brisk sales in the first half of 2021, bolstered by strong demand for TV and IT panels along with rising polarizer prices in the wake of tight supply.

Related suppliers, including BenQ Materials, Cheng Mei Material Technology (CMMT), and Optimax Technology, are expected to see their capacity utilization rates hit highs in the first half, said industry sources.

Benefitting from a ramp-up in demand, BenQ's revenues increased 1.32% sequentially and 21.86% on year to hit a 9-month high of NT$1.364 billion (US$48.73 million) in December. Its fourth-quarter 2020 revenues of NT$4.06 billion were the highest in six quarters. Sales for all of 2020 were up 7.94% on year to a 6-year high of NT$15.049 billion.

CMMT posted revenues of NT$1.004 billion for December, its highest monthly figure for 2020. The company has seen its order visibility extend to second-quarter 2021 and expects polarizer prices to continue rising, albeit at a slower pace.

Optimax's revenues rose 11.69% on month and 22.34% on year to NT$249 million in December, the company's highest-ever since March 2016. Fourth-quarter revenues of NT$718 million were the highest quarterly figure in five years.