Clevo, Shuttle expect significant growth in 2013 white-box notebook shipments

Taiwan-based ODMs Clevo and Shuttle have scored points in tapping white-box notebook markets in some countries and expect shipments to increase from 1.8-1.9 million units in 2012 to two million units in 2013 and by more than 10% respectively, according to the companies.

While there has been no room for white-box notebook market development in Europe and the US, there is still growing demand in emerging markets including Latin America, Russia, Turkey and Southeast Asia, especially models for education, government administration and gaming, Clevo and Shuttle indicated. White-box notebooks have accounted for 8-9% of global demand for all notebooks in the past two years, they noted. Although shipment volumes are relatively low they are more profitable than consumer notebooks, Clevo and Shuttle said.

Clevo saw 2012 revenues of NT$11.685 billion (US$396 million) rising 6.03% from 2011 while Shuttle had 2012 consolidated revenues of NT$14.158 billion hiking 43.59%.

In addition to white-box notebooks, Shuttle has offered tablets specifically for use in education and expects demand to take off in 2013. Shuttle has been promoting such tablets on a trial basis in Taiwan, China and countries in Latin America, the company indicated.