All five TFT-LCD panel manufacturers rank among the world's top 10 makers in the line, commanding a global market share of 34,9% as per 2nd quarter of 2002, statistics of the non-profit monitor survey institute DisplaySearch say.
The same statistics say that Samsung of South Korea still ranked a the world's largest at all.

To maintain this domination, Taiwan's leading manufacturers of the fifth generation TFT-LCD panels plan to inject a total of NT$ 200 billion within the next two years.

The companies are also stepping up investments in China or engage in cooperation with enterprises there to slash operating costs and sharpen their competitive edge.
Their investments in China involve mainly the labor-intensive part of the manufacturing process.

A venus from Taiwan

In related news, Chi Mai Optoelectronics Corp debuted an newly developed 30-inch
LCD TV panel in Taiwan, making it the only manufacturer in the line able to offer such TV panels of 25 inch size and up.

Named "Venus", the new TV panel will be sold at an initial price of about US$ 5,000 per piece in the retail market, with lower prices expected once entering mass production.

"Venus" is reported to have a superior color rendition and to weigh only 5,5 kilos.

Chia Mei now enjoys a product perfectness rate of up to 80% for LCD TV panels. This, coupled with self-supplied color filters and back light panels, has sharpened the competitive edge of the company.

Deliveries of Taiwan-made TFT-LCD panels are expected to hit close to 25 million units for the first time in 2002, up 108% from 2001, and representing a global market share of 38%, the Market Intelligence Center of the Institute for Information Industry said.

According to analyses by the MIC, sales of large sized panels such as 17- inch for LCD TVs will grow significantly in 2003, as several makers in Taiwan and South Korea will start the production of their fifth generation panels. The market supply/demand situation may witness a temporary disorder next year, the institute added.