Taiwan-based Darfon Electronics is building a factory for making keyboards in northern Vietnam and another for manufacturing electric bicycles (e-bikes) in southern Vietnam, with both to be completed in second-half 2022, according to company chairman Andy Su.

The coronavirus pandemic has sharply increased global demand for notebooks with Darfon seeing significant growth in 2020 keyboard shipments, Su said. Keyboards accounted for about 65% of its 2020 consolidated revenues of NT$22.350 billion (US$786 million), Su said, adding passive components took up 15% and green energy devices including e-bikes 15-20%.

While Darfon expects e-bike shipments to grow significantly in 2021, shipments will hinge on sufficient supply of components, Su indicated. In particular, gear levers and motors supplied by Japan-based makers have been in short supply with lead time taking as long as 10-12 months, Su said.

Darfon has reported consolidated revenues of NT$1.729 billion for February, decreasing 16.94% sequentially but increasing 60.53% on year, and those of NT$3.810 billion for January-February grew 55.07% on year.

Darfon has decided to distribute a cash dividend per share of NT$2.50 for 2020.

Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, March 2021