Sharp Opens First 8G LCD Line

Staff Reporter -- Electronic News, 8/7/2006

In its efforts to boost the popularity of LCDs over plasma displays in the market for large TVs, Sharp Corp.’s Kameyama, Japan-based Plant 2 will begin processing glass substrates for LCD panels in August of this year, well before the previously-expected October starting date, the company reported today.

Production of large-screen LCD TV models equipped with these LCD panels will start this September for markets around the world.

Sharp’s Kameyama Plant 2 will use eighth-generation (8G) glass substrates – with dimensions of 2,160 x 2,460 mm – for LCD panels used in 40- and 50-inch LCD TVs. The plant is set to double the level of investment productivity of Sharp’s Plant 1, which manufactures 6G substrates for 30- and 45-inch LCD TVs, the company noted.

The company believes it is currently the lone pioneer with an 8G fab online.

The Samsung/Sony joint venture S-LCD has an 8G fab in the works, which is not set to be operational until fall 2007. LG Philips LCD has also enumerated plans for an 8G fab, but has since put those plans on hold.

Sharp said it has invested $1.3 billion (150 billion yen) to build its 8G Plant 2 capable of initial monthly capacity of 15,000 glass substrates, to be doubled to 30,000 substrates monthly next March.

The Kameyama plant is intended to be a “Factory of the Future befitting the environment in the 21st century,” according to a statement by the company, which includes building an energy supply system that will cover about one-third of total electrical power used in the plant by integrating heterogeneous power sources, such as a large-scale photovoltaic power generating system installed on all roof surfaces, fuel cells, and cogeneration systems, and implementing systems to recycle water used in the plant, including water used for general non-industrial purposes.