AUO Accelerates Switching from TFT-LCD to LED Production
28 April 2008
AU Optronics Corp (AUO), the largest thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel manufacturer in Taiwan, plans to shift all of its TV panel products to light-emitting diode (LED) backlit type over next five year, according to KY Lee, the company chairman.
Lee publicized the above at a recent speech on topics of TFT-LCD panel industry`s future development, of which he pointed out that Taiwan used to focus on developing C&C (computer and communication) sectors, but such targets should shift to "C&C"-climate change and caring in the future.
Lee claimed that AUO is aggressively developing LED business and the company is expected to self-supply 40 percent of the LEDs adopted in TV panels globally. AUO just announced some personnel changes this month, including the creation of a new "LED Project Office" in its president`s office to be led by senior vice president David Su. AUO`s official website has also announced projects to tap the LED street-lamp market.
According to Lee, the production value of Taiwan`s flat panel display (FPD) industry outpaced that of semiconductor for the first time in 2007 to reach NT$1.67 trillion or 13.3 percent of Taiwan`s GPD last year; while a small group of FPD makers together contributed 9.6 percent to the island`s GDP in 2007.
The chairman said that he does not worry about the excessive panel supply in the future because new applications have been created from small-, medium- to large-sizes such as module interconnect device (MID); moni-TV (monitor/TV dual-function displays in sizes of 20- to 30-inch); enlarging-size and increasing-number of automotive displays; a replacement wave to let all under-20-inch monitors to be substituted by over-20-inch models etc.
Each 40-inch LCD TV require about 2,000 LEDs in the backlight module, Lee explained, and AUO is accelerating its self-production capacity as fast as possible.
As for the regional LCD TV segment, Lee said that the Asia Pacific including India and China regional markets would outstrip North America by 2009, making it the largest regional market globally. He suggested LCD TV system makers prepare to set up assembly plants in major markets to avoid high duties: tariffs on imported LCD TVs is 30 percent in mainland China, 35 percent in India, and perhaps even higher in some emerging markets in the region.
