Print

Mail

wiki links

Tainan facility a boon for Taiwan's LCD manufacturers

The Taiwanese government is to create the nation's first liquid-crystal-display (LCD) television manufacturing center to help local companies effectively tap into the fast-growing market.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the center is slated to take place today at the 250-hectare plot of land in Tainan, skirting the Southern Taiwan Science Park (南部科學園區), where local flat screen makers including Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp (奇美電子) are building new plants to crank out bigger slim panels for TVs.

The center will be the world's second manufacturing area designated exclusively for the production of LCD-TVs after the one built by South Korea several years ago.

"The establishment of the center will further boost the synergy effect for the LCD-TV industry after more key component suppliers move in to complete the supply chain," said Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) in the yet-to-be released statement made available to the Taipei Times yesterday.

"By doing so, we hope to help Taiwanese companies capture the top position in the world's LCD-TV industry," Su said in the statement.

David Hsieh (謝勤益), president of market researcher DisplaySearch's local branch, also said local TV makers will benefit from the cooperation in the area.

"With reduced transportation fees, they can make TVs at lower cost, which in turn will help them get a better position in the LCD TV making industry," Hsieh said.

Demand for LCD-TVs will skyrocket to around 17.5 million this year, more than double from 8 million last year, DisplaySearch projected.

Last May, Chi Mei Corp's (奇美實業) venture capital affiliate Linklinear Investment Co (聯奇投資) won the bid to take charge of the NT$13.2 billion development project.

Chi Mei will take half of the designated LCD-TV area, or 150 hectares, in building its television assembly lines, apartments for staffers and a logistic center, while leases out the remaining 100 hectares.

Subscription was strong as over 20 companies including TV assemblers and component suppliers have booked around 70 hectares within a month after opening for registration, according to the Tainan County.

Chi Mei Optoelectronics clients Wistron Corp, a spin-off computer maker from Acer Corp, decided to move in the LCD-TV area after it diversifies into the new business, said an official with the Chi Mei Optoelectronics, Taiwan's No.2 supplier of LCD flat panels.

DigiMedia Technologies Co, an affiliate to TV vendor Taiwan Colin Co, is also on the tenant list, she said. Chi Mei Optoelectronics also supplies its flat panels to DigiMedia.
This story has been viewed 2780 times.