CMO to set up three 8G TFT-LCD panel plants in Kaohsiung Science Park

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 26, 2006. It reports that Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp., Taiwan's No.2 maker of TFT-LCD panels, recently announced its plan to set up three eight-generation (8G) panel plant at the Kaohsiung Science Park.

The Kaohsiung Science Park is the former Luchu branch of the Southern Taiwan Science Park. Chi Mei's products produced at the three new 8G panel plants will be applied mainly to over-40-inch LCD TVs. Each plant will cost over NT$100 billion (US$3.08 billion) to build. Indeed, the company's aggressive plaint-construction projects are inspiring speculations about its future moves to merge other smaller panel-manufacturing companies in Taiwan.

Chi Mei's second 5G and first 7.5G panel plants started mass production in 2005. The company's under-7.5G panel plants are mainly located at the Southern Taiwan Science Park.

According to industry analysts, South Korea's Samsung and Japan's Sony are also trying to set up an 8G facility via a joint venture. Meanwhile, AU Optronics Corp., Taiwan's No.1 panel maker, recently announced its plan to merge the nation's No.4 panel maker Quanta Display Inc. Both events are expected to affect the survival of Taiwan's other relatively small panel makers.

AU Optronics Corp. has established its first 7.5G panel plant in the Central Taiwan Science Park, which will begin mass production in the fourth quarter of 2006. The company will soon begin constructing its second 7.5G facility in the Houli branch of the Central Taiwan Science Park.