Sony and Samsung double LCD panel production

Increasing demand for LCD TVs has prompted a major investment by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Sony Corporation in their S-LCD joint venture.

The companies are investing $1.81 billion in an eighth-generation LCD production line in Tangjeong, South Korea.

The new line is expected to start production in the second quarter of 2009 and will be able to produce 60,000 2.5 x 2.2m ‘motherglass’ panels every month which will be cut down to make LCD TV screens.

According to recent research from iSuppli, global LCD-TV panel shipments are expected to reach 181.1 million units by 2011 - an annual increase of 27.7% from 53.2 million units in 2006.

Samsung and Sony have also agreed an intellectual property cross-licensing deal with S-LCD, which means they are both allowed to manufacture and sell panels without the worry of legal action from each other.