Samsung, LG increase flat-panel production, investment

Date: 7 September 2005
Source: Infoworld.nl

Date: 7 September 2005

Two of the world's biggest flat-panel display makers, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and LG Electronics Inc., are expanding and investing in panel production as competition increases in the big-screen TV sector.

LG began mass-production at a new PDP (Plasma Display Panel) line last week and Samsung started equipment installation of a new LCD (liquid crystal display) production line at the beginning of August. On Monday, Samsung said it will invest a further 1.8 trillion won (US$1.7 billion) to double the capacity of the new line.

The expansion plans are based on two bets. The first, that the market will continue expanding, is all but assured. Consumers are buying flat-panel TVs like never before thanks to intense competition that is driving down prices and there are no signs of this growth stalling. The second bet is related to the screen technology. LG is making PDP panels and Samsung is making LCD. Each has its strong and weak points and the likely winner of the technology race depends on who you ask.

In volume terms, LCD dominates the market, in part because it's used in cheaper and higher volume flat-panel TVs. With a few exceptions, LCDs can be found in TVs up to around 40-inch screen size. Televisions based on PDPs begin in the 30-inch class and run all the way up to the largest flat-panel TVs on the market. It's in the middle ground where the technologies intersect that some of the fiercest competition can currently be found.

The competition is based on both price and technology and it's here that the new manufacturing lines come in. Newer production machinery can handle larger pieces of mother glass, which is the glass on which panels are made, and so economies of scale mean the per-panel production cost is lower. It also means more panels can be made in less time, further providing an advantage. The latest lines can also make cutting-edge panels that are brighter, crisper and deliver an all-round better picture than older manufacturing lines.

More on the source link...
600450 Samsung, LG increase flat-panel production, investment glassonweb.com

See more news about:

Others also read

MORE...

Emirates Glass wins major supply contract for Palm Jumeirah
Emirates Glass, a Dubai Investment subsidiary, has won a major contract to supply 140,000 square meters of its premium glass to the prestigious development on the Palm Jumeirah, reaffirming its already established reputation as the single most prominent company in the entire regional glass industry.The deal was announced during the company's participation in the prestigious Big 5 show, the largest annual venue for the entire Middle-East glass contracting industry.
ISRA Receives Major Display Glass Inspection Order
Isra Vision Systems AG supplier of machine vision systems, has successfully improved its market position in display glass inspection with a major order totalling 1.8 Mio Euro.
Rexam, buyout firms to bid for Calmar-sources
Packagers such as the UK's Rexam and private equity firms are set to vie for pump-sprayer business Calmar, which France's Saint-Gobain (SGOB.
Company to close lime plant in Carey next month
The National Lime & Stone Co. will discontinue production of calcined lime early next month at its Carey plant, the company CEO announced Thursday.
China glass import a cheaper option for Amritsar firm
Jain Scientific Glass Works, manufacturers of glassware for laboratories, is importing glass as raw material from China, which was much cheaper than the local product and abundantly available.
Corning, AGC Glass-substrate Capacity Expansion Projects Unit: 1 furnace Company Location 2004 2005 2006 Corning U.S.
Japan 1 2 1 S. Korea 6 6 3 Southern Taiwan 4 2 0 Central Taiwan 0 4 2 AGC Japan 0 1 1 Taiwan (Yunlin) 1 1 1 Source: PIDA (Photonic Industry & Technology Development Association) Taiwan TFT-LCD Panel Makers Happy to See Substrate-price Falls in 2006 Taipei, Dec. 27, 2005 (CENS)--Both of the world's top-two glass-substrate makers are actively expanding their production capacity in Taiwan, which is expected to cut substrate transportation time and cost for local thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel makers and boost production efficiency, according to Michael Wang, project manager and senior analyst of Taiwan's PIDA (Photonic Industry & Technology Development Association).According to Wang, Asahi Glass Co. (AGC) of Japan has solved problems in lowering the defect-free rate for the production of fifth- and sixth-generation (5G, 6G) glass substrates, and is expected to tap the market with products with higher price competitiveness in 2006 to grab more market share in the 6G substrate businessIn addition, Wang added, the aggressive capacity added by both Corning of the U.S., the world's No. 1 substrate supplier, and AGC, the No. 2, will lead to price drops for glass substrates and will especially benefit TV panel makers such as AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) and Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. (CMO) in TaiwanCurrently, Wang pointed out, a 6G substrate is priced at about 27,000 to 30,000 Japanese yen, about 1,000 to 2,000 yen lower than in the third quarter of 2005.

Add new comment