LG Display to invest in 6th generation OLED panel line
LG Display, Korean-based provider of display technologies, has announced that it will invest KRW 1.05 trillion (over $900M) in a 6th generation flexible OLED display production line as part of its efforts to lead the flexible OLED display market, which has emerged as increasingly attractive. The new E5 line is located at the Gumi plant in the Korean Gyeongbuk province. It is expected to produce 7500 input sheets per month using a 6th generation size substrate sheet of 1500x1850mm.
The 6th generation line is able to produce more than 200 cuts of a 5.5in product from a single substrate, which is nearly four times the production efficiency of a conventional 4.5th generation line, which uses 730x920mm substrate sheets. LG Display’s investment will help pioneer future display technologies such as foldable and large-size auto displays. According to HIS DisplaySearch, a global market research firm, the flexible OLED market is expected to soar from 2015, with sales increasing from $3.5bn in 2015 to $4.8bn by 2021.
In addition, LG Display signed a memorandum of understanding on OLED investment and administrative support with the Gyeongbuk province and Gumi City governments, with the company having been promised to receive administrative service support from the local authorities. The investment in the flexible OLED line is expected to create jobs and promote regional economic growth by creating synergies between the production of LCD and OLED displays.