Flexible OLED investment continues
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The Chinese government has banned local bidding investments, but the main display companies are still investing. Although the initial investment schedule was delayed , the company is pushing investment for small and medium-sized flexible organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) , mainly by major companies . It is also speeding up the development and mass production of panels for next-generation folderable smartphones as well as large-screen smartphones.
According to industry sources on Tuesday, China Ever Display has recently begun bringing its equipment to the Shanghai 6th generation flexible OLED plant.
The company has produced both rigid (flexible) and flexible OLEDs at its existing 4.5G plant. The new plant, which begins production in the first quarter of next year, will produce 5.9-inch WQHD + resolution panels for full-screen smartphones and 2-inch OLEDs for wearables. The first stage investment is not as big as 7500 sheets per month, but it will gradually increase production.
Ever display also announced that it will produce foldable and rollable OLED panels in existing 4.5G fabs. A 5.5-inch foldable OLED panel with a radius of curvature of 3 mm and a 5.5-inch rolled-panel prototype with a radius of curvature of 5 mm. It is our ambition to preempt the next-generation smartphone market as we entered the small and medium-sized OLED market in China early on.
BOE, which invests most aggressively, is in the midst of flexible OLED business. The company recently noted that its B7 yield of the first 6G flexible OLED production line surpassed 60%. Huawei, and Elephant to supply flexible OLED to major Chinese smartphone makers.
Chinese panel makers investing in small- and mid-sized flexible OLEDs set their production targets high this year. Major corporations such as BOE, Vision Oaks, and TiaMarma are planning to increase production by more than 10 times than last year's production. It is a strategy to achieve visible results in this business because it is an environment where technology gap is large with Korea but low quality panels can be supplied to the domestic market.
According to market researcher IHS Markets, BOE set a goal of shipping 30 million units this year, although only 100,000 units of flexible OLED panel shipments were shipped last year. LG Display shipped 1.2 million units last year and is higher than 25 million units shipped this year.
Tianma, together with Rigid and Flexible OLED, shipped 1.3 million units last year and set a goal of shipment of 10 million units this year. Vision Oaks plans to ship 20 million rigid flexible OLEDs this year from 3 million units.
The domestic industry has recently taken some brakes on the size and speed of investment, as the central government has been considering local government debt ratios. BOE, China Star, Vision Oaks, Ever Display, and TiaMa are among the top companies. We have already invested in small and medium-sized OLEDs and have been making little progress, so we see that OLED-oriented display industry growth strategy will continue for the time being. |
