LITE-ON IT Corporation America

Corporate Information
Lite-On IT Corporation is part of the Taiwanese Lite-On Group, which consists of nine consolidated companies. Lite-On Group is a world leading company in digital convergence (3C: Computer, Communications, and Consumer electronics) employing 35,000 people worldwide. Lite-On Group has 45 factories, 29 branch offices, and 4 R&D centers worldwide and generated total revenue of approximately 7 Billion USD in 2005.

The roots of Lite-On IT lie in Taipei, Taiwan, where Lite-On Electronics Inc. was founded in 1975. Back then the core business consisted of production of clock-display LEDs. Because LED (Light Emitting Diode) formed the mainstay of Lite-On in the early years, the English word "Light" inspired the corporate name.

In the twenty years that followed, Lite-On gradually expanded its business throughout the Asian Pacific region to become a respected Taiwanese manufacturer with various established subsidiaries that form Lite-On Group today.

Company Profile
Lite-On IT started of as a business unit within Lite-On Technology Corporation in 1995. By that time the market for Optical Disc Drives (ODD) was growing very fast, and to be able to play a significant role in this, Lite-On Technology decided to establish a dedicated business unit to produce high quality CD-ROM drives. A large manufacturing facility was established in China to meet all demands and Lite-On soon became Taiwan's biggest CD-ROM drive manufacturer, and number three worldwide.

Due to the growing success in the ODD market, Lite-On IT transformed from a relatively small business unit to an independent subsidiary of Lite-On Group, producing over 1 million drives per month. In 1999, the foundation of Lite-On IT Corporation as the youngest member of the Lite-On Group was a fact. Besides headquarters in Taipei, branch offices were established in the United States (California) and Europe (The Netherlands).

In the years to follow, Lite-On IT continued its growth in the ODD business, by setting extensive distribution networks in the United States and Europe. With the introduction of more ODD products, like CD-RW, DVD-ROM, COMBO and DVD-RW drives, Lite-On IT increased it's production from 1 million drives per month in 1999, to no less then 5 million drives per month in 2005. With this unique achievement Lite-On IT became the world's second biggest ODD manufacturer.

About PLDS
PLDS (Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions) is a joint venture between Royal Philips Electronics and Lite-On IT Corporation, established in 2007 and active in the market of Optical Disc Drives (ODD). The combination of a strong R&D-focus and an enormous production capacity makes PLDS an industry leading company. PLDS has multiple ODD brands in its portfolio: Lite-On, HP (under exclusive license) and Philips (in United States only). PLDS is responsible for sales, marketing, R&D, and design of ODD products while Lite-On IT is the manufacturer of ODD products.

Historic Timeline Lite-On IT Corporation

1995                 Founded as a business unit in Lite-On Technology Corporation

1997                 Opening of production facility in China

1998                 No. 1 CD-ROM drive Manufacturer in Taiwan & No.4 Worldwide
                        Opening of branch offices in USA and Europe

1999                 Production capacity over 1 Million per Month
                        Spin-off from Lite-On Technology Corporation as
                        Lite-On IT Corporation
                        No. 3 CD-ROM drive Manufacturer Worldwide

2001                 Lite-On IT becomes a public listed company
                        Production capacity over 2 Million per Month

2002                 Production Capacity over 3 Million per Month
                        Slim type Combo starts production
                        Foundation of business unit "Digital Consumer"

2003                 Production Base moves from SJP to GZP (Science Park)
                        Production capacity over 4 Million per Month
                        DVD-Rewriter starts production
                        Launch of first Lite-On DVD Recorder

2005                 Production capacity over 5 Million pieces per Month

2006                 Lite-On IT acquires BenQ's ODD Business

Lite-On IT becomes No. 2 ODD Manufacturer Worldwide

2007 Lite-On IT starts joint venture with Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands

The new joint venture is named Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS)

and becomes effective in Europe from 1st of May with Lite-On IT as supplier

Management Philosophy

Vision
Lite-On leads the way in 3C convergence, bringing computers, communications, and consumer electronics together to expand the reach and value of technology, to foster new opportunities, and to ensure continued business success.

Our vision is maintained by the core values of our management philosophy:

Quality
High quality standards are the core of every activity and lead to customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Integrity
Integrity fosters trust. We place great value on creating technologies that incorporate the human touch.

Innovation
We honor the spirit of innovation while striving to be creative and responsive to customer needs. This in turn helps strengthen our competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

For more information about the core values of Lite-On Group, please refer to the corporate website: http://www.liteon.com/