Worldwide, the market for large screen public display panels is projected to grow at 23 percent compounded annually from 2013 through 2017, according to the latest NPD DisplaySearch “Quarterly FPD Public Display Shipment and Forecast Report.
The growth comes after the first double-digit decline (of 18 percent) for the market in 2012. That that time LCD shipments were flat and PDP (plasma display panel) shipments collapsed.
Factors contributing to the positive outlook include an improving economy, demand from emerging countries, price erosion on larger size displays and a potential uptick in demand tied to the 2014 World Cup.
Most of the growth will occur from an increase in the production and sales of large-screen LCD displays. According to NPD DisplaySearch, shipments of displays that are 60in or larger grew by 89 percent year over year in 2012 and are expected to grow by another 35 percent in 2013. Strong growth is expected to continue during the forecast period, and the large 60in or greater public displays are expected to pass 1 million units by 2017.
“The supply side has been preparing for this growth for several years, investing in new fabrication plants to manufacture larger-size LCD panels,” said Todd Fender, senior analyst with NPD DisplaySearch.
A focus on larger screens allows manufacturers to increase their profit per module and fills the gap left by Panasonic and others that have exited the PDP (plasma display panel) business. After 2015, NPD DisplaySearch forecasts the 50in PDP size may be the only plasma display panel available in the marketplace.
“The good news is that the end user will be able to purchase larger displays at lower prices. The bad news could be that they will no longer see some of the traditional sizes offered in the marketplace over the next few years,” added Fender.
