Following a fire this month at one of the biggest South Korean battery makers, LG Chem, notebook battery production is being halted for up to three months, the company said.

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And according to Asustek Computer, one of the top two PC makers in Taiwan, a global shortage of batteries for computers could affect anywhere up to 40 per cent of its second-quarter PC shipments.
“The shortage could affect 30 per cent to 40 per cent of second quarter shipments, but it looks like a short-term issue,” Kevin Lin, vice president for Asustek, said.

LG Chem is a major supplier for Asustek’s batteries and also sells to companies like Dell and Hewlett-Packard. The second-largest battery maker in the country, it competes with its larger Korean rival, Samsung SDI.
“Battery supply was already very tight in the first quarter, and after the fire, everyone started to buy from Sony and Panasonic,” said Daniel Chang, a Macquarie Securities analyst.

Chang said that the battery shortage problem could trim shipments for the major laptop PC makers.
According to IDC, global laptop shipments are expected to rise to 138.6 million units this year from 110.3 million units in 2007.