ASRock eager for more Industrial board customers

ASRock has recently stepped into the Industrial motherboard market and is now making efforts to ensure it secures enough customers for its venture to be profitable. According to ASRock:

ASRock targets motherboards for use in POS (point of sale), thin clients, kiosks, panel PCs, gaming PCs, signage and devices used in surveillance, information display and retail & hospitality, the company said. ASRock has obtained ODM orders from two clients, with shipments to begin in the second quarter of 2012, and is negotiating orders with three potential clients, the company indicated. IPC motherboards have gross margins of at least 25%, higher than those for PC motherboards, ASRock noted.

ASRock is aiming to obtain orders from IPC vendors such as Advantech, Adlink Technology and ICP Electronics instead of competing with them for orders for system products, ASRock said. ASRock’s ODM production of motherboards will save R&D costs and time for vendors, the company indicated. ASRock is tapping the market segment and hopes to see benefits beginning 2013.

ASRock shipped 7.8 million motherboards in 2011 and aims to ship 10 million units in 2012. Motherboards currently account for 90% of ASRock’s revenues, and home-theater PCs 10%.

Source: Digitimes