World Largest LCD Manufactory Completed

LG Philips LCD Co. started operating the fifth-generation TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display) fabrication plant.

LG Philips LCD Co. had a dedication ceremony of `P4`, a fifth-generation production facility, at Gumi, Kyeongbuk province on the 24th, attended by Koo Bon-Moo LG group chairperson and Guy Demuynck Philips Consumer Electronics Mainstream CEO in Netherlands.

The fifth-generation line has larger glass substrates than fourth-generation line has. For example, it produces 15 LCDs for 15-inch motor from one substrate increased from 6, and 9 LCDs for 18-inch monitor increased from 4.

`P4` is the largest TFT-LCD facility on 63,000-pyong base producing large monitors and LCDs for Digital TV. LG Philips LCD Co. plans to increase the productivity of glass substrates to monthly 60,000 pieces or yearly 67.5 million pieces within this year.

LG Philips LCD Co. said, “the shift of production line to fifth-generation from fourth-generation means the productivity doubled at the same cost. We will win the world top in the field of LCD for Digital TV not to mention in the middle and large-size TFT-LCD market.”

LG Philips LCD Co. is the company established by LG Electronics and Philips Netherlands merging both companies’ LCD business.

Meanwhile, LCD business of Korea is likely to solidify its place at world top over Japan, as Samsung Electronics plans to launch 5th-generation production line from the second half of this year.

Im-Sook Ha artemes@donga.com