Kingston Technology continued to retain its lead in the global third-party DRAM module market in 2009 with a 40.3% market share, widening its gap with second-ranked A-Data Technology, according to the most recent ranking.
Kingston managed to grow its market share from 27.5% in 2007 to 32.8% in 2008, when the global third-party DRAM module market shrank 32.3% in revenues to US$5.5 billion, according to iSuppli. The long-time market leader was able to distance itself from its nearest competitor in 2009, when the market grew to US$7.07 billion.
iSuppli pointed out a range of factors that drove up revenues among third-party DRAM module suppliers by 69% sequentially in the second half of 2009: previously-lean inventories that were built up for the cyclical holiday demand, a strong return of demand on the macroeconomic level, and rising DRAM ASPs throughout the period.
The rankings of the top-two third-party DRAM module makers remained the same in 2009 compared to 2008, while Ramaxel Technology of China moved into the top-three overtaking Smart Modular Technologies of the US, according to iSuppli.
In other news, industry watchers in Taiwan believe that local DRAM module players have shifted their focus to NAND flash products as they are aware of Kingston's expanding presence in the global DRAM module business. Most Taiwan-based DRAM module makers are looking for new growth engines for their profitability in 2010, as lower gains in inventory value resulting from more stable DRAM pricing is affect their profit growth, according to the watchers.
Both A-Data and Power Quotient International (PQI) swung to profits in 2009, while Transcend Information and Apacer Technology reported significant profit growth on year. They were among iSuppli's top-10 third-party DRAM module suppliers in 2009.