ICIH announced on the 28th that it has confirmed the resupply of film-type thin-film antennas (MFA) for smartphones to a model that accounts for a large portion of the total production volume of S, the largest smartphone manufacturer in Korea, and has started mass production. The company expects that performance will improve starting from the fourth quarter of this year and continue into next year.
As the number of discarded smartphones rapidly increases, strong waterproof functions have been applied even to mid-to-low-end phones to reduce disposal caused by water damage. Accordingly, S has increased the proportion of LDS (Laser Direct Structuring) antennas used and decreased the application ratio of ICIH's MFA. This is because MFA posed concerns about microscopic gaps inside smartphones due to thickness-related step differences compared to LDS antennas. In fact, ICIH's MFA sales, which peaked in supply volume in 2021, plummeted by more than 50% from 2022 through the third quarter of this year.
However, smartphones with strong waterproof functions generated a lot of waste due to the shattering of display panels and rear glass during disassembly for repairs and battery replacements because of their high sealing. As a result, even with somewhat relaxed waterproof functions, MFA, which excels in eco-friendly processes and cost aspects, has been reappraised, allowing ICIH to regain the opportunity for mass supply.
A company official explained, "As the trend of relaxing waterproof ratings among customers spreads for the transition to a circular economy that enables finished product recycling, ICIH's MFA has been reappraised," adding, "After a strict evaluation process to determine applicability by the customer, it has been applied to mass production for a model scheduled to be released in the first half of next year."
ICIH recently expanded production facilities and invested in equipment to handle this volume, which is expected to significantly increase compared to the total MFA supply volume that peaked in 2021.
The official said, "Starting with this model, additional mass production applications have been confirmed for derivative models scheduled to be released in the same year," and added, "MFA, which has accounted for a large portion of ICIH's total sales, is expected to bottom out and recover as it gains customer approval not only for antenna performance but also for ESG suitability through eco-friendly processes and cost reduction merits."
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