You may wonder, like many, why or better, how prices went down so sharply in the TFT business. Well, have a look at the table below and you will get the big picture. Samsung Electronics (Korea Stock Exchange symbol: 005930.KS) has started its TFT business in 1995. That year, they produced a mere 100000 units, just to reach 1 million in 1997. In 2000, the company rolled out the ten millionth panel. By 2003, production reached 10 million units.
In terms of industrial skills, one has to consider that the 1995 glass substrate
was a 370x470mm while in April 2005 the Korean giant announced that its Tangjeong
plant produces its 7-1 line, which is 24 times larger than in 1995 and is the
world’s largest with 1870x2200mm. The plant will reach full 60000 a month
capacity by October 2005. The 7-2 line will follow in 2006 at the same plant.
Recall that Samsung has shaken the industry with the announcement of its 40-inch
OLED display (see our article) which is a phenomenal 5000:1 contrast ratio
and a 730x920mm large mother glass device. Globalisation has reached Korea
too, and
Samsung announced that they will be moving to more facilities to China in order
to lower costs.
Cumulative production of Samsung Electronics' Large TFT-LCD (Thousand units)
source: Samsung
Year 1995-1997-1999-2000-2003-2005 (May)
Units (1000)-100-1000-5000-10000-50000-100000