Taiwan’s First International Computer Inc – which sounds rather more like a bank than a computer company, has announced that it intends to expand its business and reorganise its corporate structure. The company has achieved average annual sales and profit growth of over 60% in the past six years by focusing on desktop computers and motherboards for the OEM market. Now it’s branching out into integrated circuit testing and notebook computer production – changes designed to help the firm develop into a diversified, decentralised conglomerate. The plan is to gradually spin off First International’s major divisions into affiliated companies over the next five years. Each company would specialise in one area, such as chips, personal computers or motherboards. Another would handle sales and marketing. First International is Taiwan’s second-largest computer-related firm, with 1993 sales equivalent to $447m. Since last September, it has been testing chips for other firms, using a rented plant. It tests about 3.5m to 4m memory chips a month. Last month First International began building its own semiconductor testing plant, which will cost $38m and is expected to be completed in October. The company plans to test 10m chips per month next year, but even this year, the company expects its integrated circuit testing division to make a $5.7m profit. Mass production of notebook personal computers starts this month.
