Tatung to enjoy 30% growth in output of LCD TVs next year

Taipei, Nov. 28, 2003 (CENS)--Consumer multimedia personal computers and flat-panel display devices will be two powerful engines behind the growth of Tatung Co. next year, said Pan Tai-chi, president of TMX Technology, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Tatung.

Tatung boasted it has received OEM (original equipment manufacturer) orders for consumer multimedia PCs and flat-panel display devices from the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Production of liquid crystal display (LCD) television sets will grow between 30% and 40% annually next year.

At present, 75% of Tatung's total revenues come from PC-related products, indicating the company has successfully transformed itself from a well-known manufacturer of home appliances to a maker of information technology (IT) products, including LCD monitors, consumer multimedia PCs, and LCD TVs.

Pan said Tatung is focusing on production of flat-panel TVs on the 23-, 26-, 30-inch LCD TVs and 42-inch plasma display panel (PDP) TVs, a portion of which have been exported to the U.S., Europe and Japan. The company estimated it would be able to ship 100,000 LCD TVs this year.

Tatung has already set up production facilities in Mexico, California State of the U.S., and the Netherlands to access customers around the target markets. The company is also planning to add Czech Republic as a European production base to shun away customs duties of up to 14%.

Currently Tatung's flat-panel TVs are mainly supplied to JVC; LCD monitors are made for Dell Computer and ViewSonic Co; and the PCs embedded with Microsoft's media center operating system are manufactured for Hewlett Packard on an OEM basis.

Pan noted the global firms would scramble for a slice of the big pie of 30-, and 32-inch LCD TVs next year. He boasted Tatung will have brilliant performance in the LCD TV market in the next few years because it is capable of supplying products in a flexible way. In addition, the company's production of LCD TVs is greatly supported by its subsidiary Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Inc. which focuses on the production of LCD panels.