Taipei, July 23, 2008 (CENS)--With a recessed market for display panels, Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp., a world-caliber supplier of the products, is dumping excess inventories by promoting low prices on its own branded LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs in Taiwan, according to company sources.

CMO recently cut selling prices of its 52-inch LCD TVs by NT$16,000 to NT$88,800 per unit, coupled with a 22-inch model worth NT$14,900, and reduced a price of its 42-inch full HD LCD TVs to NT$49,900 from original NT$54,900, as well as another 42-inch models to NT$42,900 from NT$46,900.

Ben Cheng, vice president at Nexgen Mediatech Inc., Chi Mei Group`s subsidiary in charge of marketing of CHIMEI-branded LCD TVs, said that CHIMEI now is second-largest brand of LCD TVs in Taiwan, only trailing Sony in market shares. In the first half of this year, CHIMEI commanded nearly half of the market for 52-inch models. The recent price-cutting promotion is expected to help the brand keep its lead in sales of 52-inch models in the market.

In fact, global LCD TV brands` move to dump inventories of LCD panels has caused prices of the product to drop sharply, driving upstream suppliers of display panels to promote own branded LCD TVs. However this can help display panel suppliers to not only keep production lines operational, but also develop own branded LCD TV business.

For example, TPV Technology Ltd., world`s largest contract supplier of LCD monitors and LCD TVs, would also keep its production lines booked by own branded LCD TVs, even when clients like Dell and HP reduce orders.

(by Steve Chuang)