Chi Mei Group (奇美集團) plans to invest NT$13.2 billion in developing the nation's first manufacturing center for slim-screen TVs, after the group's venture capital arm Linklinear Investment Co (聯奇投資) landed a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project with Tainan County Government in May, a company official said yesterday.
"Linklinear will take charge of the development project, including the total capital needed for the project," said Eddie Chen (
While Linklinear is commissioned to help Tainan county government set up a full supply chain for liquid-crystal-display (LCD) TV manufacturing, Chi Mei Optoelectronics will not join the NT$13.2 billion development pool, Chen said.
"We'll supply LCD TV screens to companies there and will benefit from the convenient supply of key components for LCD panel making from other companies moving there," he said.
Linklinear holds an 11 percent stake in Chi Mei Optoelectronics, the nation's second-largest manufacturer of flat screens used for computers and televisions.
The planned flat-screen TV manufacturing center, which will cover 250 hectares, is located on the edge of the Southern Taiwan Science Park (
Chi Mei Optoelectronics already operates an advanced 5-generation (5G) fab in the Southern Taiwan Science Park and is currently building a more advanced 5.5G fab.
In addition, HannStar Display Corp (瀚宇彩晶), a smaller local competitor, is constructing its first 6G plant near Chi Mei Optoelectronics, targeting the potentially lucrative LCD TV business.
In the designated LCD-TV center, Chi Mei Group will use around 80 hectares of land to build television assembly lines, apartments for staffers and a logistic center, a local Chinese-language newspaper reported yesterday, citing Chi Mei Optoelectronics vice president Jack Lin (林榮俊), who doubles as a top ranking official at Linklinear.
Some 30 TV-related manufacturers, including key component suppliers, have also signed up to set up factories on some 70 hectares of land area, the paper said.
"The site is over booked," the paper quoted Lin as saying during a job fair in Kaohsiung on Saturday.
Glass processor Corning Inc of the US is also expanding its production to meet strong demand from Taiwan's LCD panel makers.
Corning, the world's largest maker of glass used in flat-panel TVs and computer displays, has two factories in the Southern Taiwan Science Park.
Corning is able to supply large glass substrate for advanced 6G fabs, but the US company said last month that volume was limited by its ability to add capacity on concern that its customers face sales declines and have reduced production.
The company had said it will spend about US$950 million to US$1 billion this year on capital projects, primarily to expand its LCD glass plants in Asia.
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