Samsung Invests $975M in 7G FPD Production

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. said Monday it will begin installing critical equipment this week at a new LCD production line, in a bid to standardize on 40-inch and 46-inch LCD panels for the mass TV market. The seventh generation flat panel display production line, which will cost $975 million to build, will produce a glass substrate identical to the one at a nearby joint production facility Samsung operates with Sony Corp. The 1,870mm by 2,200mm substrate will enable eight 40-inch panels or six 46-inch panels to be produced simultaneously from a single plate, according the Korean electronics giant. When fully ramped, the new line, which consists of a 300,000-square-meter fab facility area and a 93,000-square-meter module facility area, will produce 45,000 sheets per month. Samsung said it expects to begin mass production in April of next year. By committing to the production facility, Samsung claims it is looking not only to lead standardization of the large-LCD TV market, but also to put sales on the fast track. Its embrace of 40-inch and 46-inch LCD TV sizes positions it to provide a stable supply of high-quality, large LCD TV panels at very competitive price points, the company said.