LG Electronics World’s Largest PDP Manufacturing System
- With investments totaling KRW 330 billion, LG Electronics adds a third PDP production line equipped with technology designed for cutting several sheets out of one glass. - The world’s largest single production line that can manufacture 75,000 PDPs monthly - With the three lines fully operational, the system can manufacture 135,000 PDPs monthly (about 1.6 million PDPs annually) - Gunning for the world’s top spot with 25% global PDP market share by 2005
LG Electronics (LGE) boosts international marketing of state-of-the-art display.
LGE is planning to structure the world’s largest PDP production line aimed at fully penetrating the fast-growing PDP market.
The electronics company recently held a board of directors meeting and decided to invest in the installation of a third PDP production line. This aims to resolve shortages in the supply of PDPs in the global market and cope flexibly with the rapidly growing PDP market.
Towards this end, LGE will invest a total of KRW 330 billion in Gumi City and construct and operate the third PDP production line by September 2004.
Unlike the two existing lines, the third PDP production line will be equipped with technology that allows cutting several sheets of PDP glass out of one original glass; thus enabling the company to respond to the rapidly growing PDP market and ensure production efficiency and cost competitiveness.
As the largest single line in the world, the third line is expected to manufacture 75,000 PDPs monthly. This will meet the demands of the ever-growing 40-inch screen market and the mainstream 50-inch screen market.
With the opening of the second line by the second half of this year (30,000 PDPs monthly) and third line with monthly production capacity of 75,000 PDPs by 2004, LGE is expected to produce a total of 135,000 PDPs monthly or about 1.6 million PDPs annually; thus emerging as the world’s largest PDP manufacturer.
In addition to the Gumi factory, LGE will construct a PDP module assembly factory in Nanjing, China by October, with annual production capacity of 240,000 PDPs. The China factory is expected to serve as the company’s foothold for penetrating various PDP markets worldwide. The company operates a PDP TV assembly factory in LGERS (Reynosa), Mexico, with monthly production capacity of 100,000 PDPs to cover the North America market. On the other hand, its Wales factory in Britain, with the same capacity as the Mexican factory, covers the Europe market. Both factories enable the company to operate a global production system.
Currently, LGE enjoys market leadership in 17 nations in Europe, Africa, and Central and South America. With the operation of its third PDP production line, the company plans to service a total of 30 nations worldwide and gain 25% global PDP market share by 2005 to capture the top spot.
“Investing in the third PDP production line will provide LGE with a momentum to reshuffle the global electronics industry in the area of state-of-the-art display together with LCD. LG will continue to focus on R&D and reinforce brand marketing activities in the area of display to make our products the world’s best,” said WOO NAM KYUN, president of LGE Digital Display & Media Company.
