DisplaySearch Forecasts Brisk AMOLED Market Growth Amid Lingering Loss at LCD Makers

Taipei, Aug. 29, 2012 (CENS)--DisplaySearch, which tracks flat panel display market, recently forecast that global AMOLED production capacity will grow at annual rate of approximately 200% next year after nearly tripling to a projected 2.6 million square meters this year from last year’s 890,000 square meters.

The market research organization ascribed the brisk growth mostly to Samsung Mobile Display’s (SMD) ramp-up of the first Gen 5.5 AMOLED fab and pilot or mass production of AMOLED lines planned in two years by other companies, including AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), LG Display Co., Ltd., Chimei Innolux Display Corp., and IRICO Group Corp.

According to DisplaySearch, SMD’s A2 Gen 5.5 factory, which was tooled in 2010, is now expected to reach maximum capacity of 80,000 substrates per month by the end of first quarter of next year. Currently, SMD accounts for nearly 100% of commercial AMOLED shipments and its planned future factories will account for much of the expected capacity growth, according to the market consulting firm.

Charles Annis, DisplaySearch Vice President of Manufacturing Research, pointed out that other existing and potential AMOLED manufacturers are watching SMD’s progress and aggressive expansion plans, hoping that they will be able to leverage advances in equipment technology and take advantage of growing interest in AMOLED displays for smart phones and other applications. As SMD ramps A2, many more AMOLED displays will hit the market, and demand is expected to grow in turn, he added.

In Taiwan, AUO has begun volume production of 4.3-inch AMOLED panels in the third quarter while Chimei plans to kick off white-light OLED panels sometime in the fourth quarter, according to industry executives.

LCD panel makers have suffered negative net profit margins for four consecutive quarters, and with excess a-Si LCD capacity for TV production, FPD equipment spending is now forecast to fall by more than 40% in 2012, DisplaySearch’s studies show. On the other hand, supply of AMOLED displays has been very tight in 2011.

According to DisplaySearch, most of the new AMOLED capacity coming online is optimized for small/medium display production. But high-quality and low-cost AMOLED TV remains the ultimate target for FPD makers. Both SMD and LG Display are moving ahead with Gen 8 AMOLED TV pilot production plans for 2012.