ID :
50617
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 07:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/50617
The shortlink copeid
Global demand for S. Korean LCDs up despite slump
SEOUL, March 15 (Yonhap) -- Global demand for South Korean liquid crystal displays (LCD) has made solid gains despite the worldwide economic slump, industry sources said Sunday.
LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics Co. said overall sales of their LCD TVs
and panel displays have risen by more than 20 percent on-year in the first two
months of this year, fueled by steady demand in the European and North American
markets.
LG said that sales in Europe exceeded 1 million units for a gain of 50 percent,
with 450,000 units being sold in North America as of the end of February. The
company had originally expected to sell 460,000 units in North America in the
first quarter.
To meet demand, LG said its plants in Poland and Mexico were operating at 90
percent of full output, while its main assembly line in Gumi, South Korea, is
running at full capacity with workers asked to put in overtime to meet production
deadlines. Total monthly output topped 300,000 units from the usual 250,000, it
said.
Besides LCD TV sets, LG Display Co. -- a sister of LG Electronics -- said its
panels were doing well with production rising 16 percent on-year, pushing up its
global market share to 28.5 percent as of January and placing it at the top of
the ladder.
The gain is noteworthy as overall worldwide demand has backtracked 18 percent
annually.
Samsung, the country's largest consumer electronics maker, also said it had
originally expected growth to hover at around 10 percent in 2009, putting sales
at around 22 million units, but numbers so far have exceeded expectations.
The company cited a report by NPD Group, a global market researcher, saying its
share of the LCD TV market in the United States reached 26.0 percent as of last
month, far above rival Sony's figure of 13.0 percent during the same month, and 5
percentage points higher than 21.3 percent tallied in January.
It added that its presence in the premium 40-inch, full-high definition TV market
has reached between 40 and 50 percent.
The company said that in order to meet demand, all of its LCD TV plants are
operating at near full capacity.
The figures appeared to reflect the success of continued investment by local
companies.
LG Display recently opened an "eighth-generation" production line to manufacture
50-inch large screen LCDs.
This stands in contrast to moves by Taiwanese manufacturers, who have put off
expansion to cope with uncertain growth prospects.
Experts said aggressive marketing efforts by local companies and the sharp
depreciation of the Korean won versus the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen have
raised the price competitiveness of local products and those using components
made in Korea.
Consumers' eagerness to switch from conventional cathode-ray tube TV sets to LCD
models has also driven demand, they added.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics Co. said overall sales of their LCD TVs
and panel displays have risen by more than 20 percent on-year in the first two
months of this year, fueled by steady demand in the European and North American
markets.
LG said that sales in Europe exceeded 1 million units for a gain of 50 percent,
with 450,000 units being sold in North America as of the end of February. The
company had originally expected to sell 460,000 units in North America in the
first quarter.
To meet demand, LG said its plants in Poland and Mexico were operating at 90
percent of full output, while its main assembly line in Gumi, South Korea, is
running at full capacity with workers asked to put in overtime to meet production
deadlines. Total monthly output topped 300,000 units from the usual 250,000, it
said.
Besides LCD TV sets, LG Display Co. -- a sister of LG Electronics -- said its
panels were doing well with production rising 16 percent on-year, pushing up its
global market share to 28.5 percent as of January and placing it at the top of
the ladder.
The gain is noteworthy as overall worldwide demand has backtracked 18 percent
annually.
Samsung, the country's largest consumer electronics maker, also said it had
originally expected growth to hover at around 10 percent in 2009, putting sales
at around 22 million units, but numbers so far have exceeded expectations.
The company cited a report by NPD Group, a global market researcher, saying its
share of the LCD TV market in the United States reached 26.0 percent as of last
month, far above rival Sony's figure of 13.0 percent during the same month, and 5
percentage points higher than 21.3 percent tallied in January.
It added that its presence in the premium 40-inch, full-high definition TV market
has reached between 40 and 50 percent.
The company said that in order to meet demand, all of its LCD TV plants are
operating at near full capacity.
The figures appeared to reflect the success of continued investment by local
companies.
LG Display recently opened an "eighth-generation" production line to manufacture
50-inch large screen LCDs.
This stands in contrast to moves by Taiwanese manufacturers, who have put off
expansion to cope with uncertain growth prospects.
Experts said aggressive marketing efforts by local companies and the sharp
depreciation of the Korean won versus the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen have
raised the price competitiveness of local products and those using components
made in Korea.
Consumers' eagerness to switch from conventional cathode-ray tube TV sets to LCD
models has also driven demand, they added.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
