LG Display this month started production at its 8.5th Generation OLED manufacturing facility in Guangzhou, China. When fully ramped, total capacity of the factory will be 90,000 substrates per month. The plant will produce 55, 65, and 77-inch high-resolution panels for televisions. In fact, LG’s goal is to make 10 million large size OLED panels per year by 2022, which means to more than double its current output.

The new 8.5G OLED panel plant is a nine-level building above the ground that occupies a 74,000 m² piece of land and provides 427,000 m² of floor space. Initial capacity of the manufacturing facility will be 60,000 2200×2500 mm substrates per month, which will be expanded to 90,000 sheets per month by 2021. The factory will be operated by LG Display High-Tech China, a joint venture between LG Display and Guangzhou Development District, in which the former holds a 70% stake (with ~$2,150 billion in capital).

Facing cut-throat competition from various makers of liquid crystal displays, LG Display recently set a strategic goal to significantly expand production of large OLED panels in a bid to serve more lucrative and growing market segments. LGD says that it sold 2.9 million huge OLED panels in 2018 and expects to sell 3.8 million large panels this year, which will turn this business to profitability. Citing market researchers, the manufacturer says that demand for OLED TVs and panels is growing and to that end, it makes a great sense to invest in OLED plants.

Right now, LG makes 70,000 8.5G OLED substrates at its plant near Paju, South Korea. The company is building a 10.5th Generation OLED plant near Paju that will produce 45,000 of 2940×3370 mm substrates per month when it is ready in 2022. Combined, LGD will manufacture 160,000 8.5G OLED substrates and 45,000 10.5G OLED sheets a month in 2022. The company hopes that its expanded manufacturing capacity will enable it to make 10 million of large OLED panels per year by 2022.

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Source: LG Display