LG Display begins production at new LCD line

SEOUL, March 9 (Yonhap) -- LG Display Co., the world's second-largest maker of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), said Monday it has started producing LCD TV panels at its newest production line this month.

The eighth-generation LCD line has a monthly capacity of 20,000 sheets of glass
substrates on which circuits are formed, LG Display said, adding it aims to raise
the capacity to 83,000 sheets by year-end.
The production line, located just north of Seoul, will primarily manufacture 32,
47 and 55-inch TV panels from its glass substrates.
LG Display said it has invested 2.53 trillion won (US$1.63 billion) in the first
eighth-generation line, excluding construction costs.
LCD manufacturers have periodically increased their production lines to handle
larger sheets of glass substrates to more efficiently create larger LCD screens.
Bigger glass plates allow LCD makers to get more panels from one plate, boosting
productivity and lowering production costs.
According to market research firm DisplaySearch, the global LCD TV market will
reach 181 million units in 2011, up 35 percent from 134 million units expected
for this year.
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