The announcement of more LCD fabricating capacity development is indeed an ill wind that blows no good. Sharp recently announced that a new LCD fabrication plant is in the works, with manufacturing operations to begin in late 2006. This plant will specialize in 45- and 52- inch LCD panels, to focus directly on competing with plasma display panels in the 40-inch and 50-inch categories.
A "mother" glass substrate that measures 2160 mm by 2400 mm is fabricated, and then divided into eight 45-inch or six 52-inch panels. The new plant will exploit new production processes and new technologies such as ink jet printing of color filters onto the glass substrate.
Followers of flat panel display technology are aware that PDPs have some inherent drawbacks, and that LCDs are narrowing the performance edge that PDPs have enjoyed in the areas of brightness, contrast, and display speed.
One LCD manufacturer sees a struggle for survival, another plans to build a new fabrication plant. As they say, that's what makes horse races.
LATEST ARTICLES