Taipei, May 26, 2009 (CENS)--Strong demand for LCD TV panels from mainland China is boosting shipments by Taiwanese thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel manufacturers.

Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. (CMO), the second-largest TFT-LCD panel maker on the island, for example, delivered more than three million LCD TV panels to Chinese customers in the first four months, accounting for about 30% of China`s total TV-panel imports during the period.

Taiwanese panel makers` stock prices are rising thanks to eight major home-appliance brands in China will soon come to Taiwan for procuring needed parts and components, as well as another subsidy program for home appliances in nine major cities by the Chinese government.

Statistics compiled by DisplaySearch, the worldwide leader in display market research and consulting, show that 6.96 million TV panels (including LCD TV monitor panels) were shipped to China in the first quarter, compared to about 7.11 branded LCD TVs sold in the nation during the period. Analysts said that LCD TVs sales via major sales channels in China exceeded five million sets in the first quarter, implying a very rapid stock-digestion speed as well as a strong demand for panels in the future.

In the first quarter, CMO shipped 2.28 million TV panels to China (over three million in the first four months), making it the largest TV-panel supplier in the big national market. AUO ranked No. 2 in the first quarter with shipments of 1.29 million units.

Samsung Electronics and LG Display (formerly LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.) each shipped about one million panels to China in the first quarter.


(by Quincy Liang)