Phison Electronics Corp, one of Taiwan's leading providers of flash card readers and flash memory controller chips, expects that its full-year income will increase to US$700 million in 2009 and aims to earn US$1 billion next year, Chairman Pua Khein-Seng said yesterday, sources reported.

Pua said at a press conference held at the company headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan, that demand for USB chips will increase in 2010 as the global economy is picking up. He also said that the company's market share will expand but did not give further details.

Phison will surely report a profit between US$900 million and US$950 million in 2010, said Pua.

The company's total revenue hit NT$18.85 billion in 2008.

Established in November 2000, the company gained its fame for the world's first single-chip USB flash drive IC, and is now a leading producer of USB drive and memory card controllers.