Wintek

Last updated
Wintek
Native name
勝華科技股份有限公司
Company type Public
TWSE: 2384
Founded1990;34 years ago (1990)
DefunctOctober 2014 (2014-10)
FateBankrupted
Headquarters Taichung, Taiwan
Website www.wintek.com.tw

Wintek was a Taiwanese maker of electronic components, mainly touch screens for devices such as Apple's iPhone. Its headquarters was in Taichung, Taiwan.

Contents

History

Wintek was established in 1990 and produces components in Taiwan, India, China and Vietnam. [1] [2]

Worker illness controversy

In May 2010 it emerged that employees in China producing touchscreens for the iPhone had been poisoned by a cleaning chemical called n-hexane, leading to nerve damage and in some cases paralysis. [3] [4] n-Hexane was introduced into the production process because it evaporates very quickly, thus speeding the manufacturing. A hospital in Suzhou has treated more than 100 workers who breathed in the hexane vapours. Some workers have been hospitalized for more than six months. While some workers have said that Wintek paid their medical bills and promises to keep their jobs for them while on medical leave, under Chinese law these workers will only get compensation if they leave these jobs. [5]

Bankruptcy

In October 2014, Wintek filed for bankruptcy protection as it was hit hard by poor sales of panels for personal computers and a marketing offensive by Chinese competitors in the smartphone panel sector. [6]

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References

  1. About Wintek
  2. Wintek Global Network
  3. Chinese workers link sickness to n-hexane and Apple iPhone screens, Guardian
  4. "N-hexane Poisoning Scare At Apple Supplier In China". China Tech News. 2010-02-22.
  5. Dirty Secrets ABC News Broadcast: 26/10/2010
  6. YAMASHITA, KAZUNARI (January 23, 2015). "Top 2 panel makers' earnings rise, but windfall might not last". Nikkei Asia.