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Foxconn Takes Over Sharp…what will happen to Samsung·LG?

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Hyunjoo Kang / Reporter / jjoo@olednet.com

Foxconn Decided to Buy Sharp for Approx. $ 3.5 billion, Source: Foxconn

Foxconn Decided to Buy Sharp for Approx. $ 3.5 billion, Source: Foxconn

 

On March 30, 2016, Taiwan’s Hon Hai’s Foxconn agreed to buy Sharp for about $ 3.5 billion. With this decision, there is much focus on how it will affect Korean display and set companies including Samsung and LG.

 

Foxconn, primarily an electronics contractor manufacturer, became responsible for Apple’s iPhone production and continued its growth. The fact that through this takeover Foxconn now possesses display mass production ability can greatly affect Korean companies that are currently leading the display and set market.

 

◆ Competition with Samsung·LG for iPhone Panel Supply Intensifies

 

A possible scenario for future includes Foxconn becoming a strong competitor for Samsung Display and LG Display in smartphone OLED sector for Apple’s iPhone.

 

Although Sharp is a company that produces LCD, it is estimated that Foxconn will invest in Sharp to mass produce OLED.

 

Apple is expected to release OLED equipped iPhone from 2017, and it is known that Samsung Display, strong in OLED, have agreed to supply the initial volume. As Apple has been close with LG in supply and demand of display, some believe that LG Display will become the biggest supplier in future.

 

However, if Apple’s key collaborator Foxconn begins to produce OLED, it could become a strong rival for Samsung and LG.

Sharp Headquarters, Source: Wikipedia

Sharp Headquarters, Source: Wikipedia

 

◆ Suggestion of Foxconn’s Own Brand Set Production Prospect

Foxconn, despite being a contract manufacturer, became widely known with great growth. As such, the company could branch out into producing sets under their own brand name. Furthermore, with the display mass production now possible with the Sharp takeover, this scenario is gaining traction. According to market experts, Foxconn is now able to expand its smartphone and TV set business. As Chinese set companies are rapidly growing to threaten Korean companies, the prospect of Foxconn’s set business cannot be ignored.

 

One display expert explained that as a key collaborator of Apple, Foxconn can successfully enter the smartphone panel market. He further analyzed that with Foxconn’s expertise in set production, their own brand set release is not too much to expect, and that this will be easier with the takeover of Sharp.

Blossoming April… Hurt by LCD, Heal with OLED

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Hyunjoo Kang / Reporter / jjoo@olednet.com

Flexible OLED from LGD(CES 2016)

Flexible OLED from LGD(CES 2016)

From April, the display industry is estimated to start mending the damage carried out by LCD with OLED.

 

In Q1 2016, Korean display industry suffered due to oversupply of Chinese LCD panels. Market experts believe that Samsung Display and LG Display will announce large Q1 deficit in April due to LCD.

 

However, the display market is expected to actively improve its performance from April.

 

Dong-won Kim, analyst with Hyundai Securities, estimated that great increase in profit is expected from Q2 2016 due to the increase in OLED operation rate and yield improvement. Also because of profitability improvement effect following LCD panel’s price rebound, the deficit will decrease.

 

LG Display’s performance in OLED sector is expected to noticeably improve. Over 90% of LG Display’s total mass production line is LCD at present. Hence, the fall of LCD price in Q1 is expected to have hit hard and OLED business is also showing deficit.

OLED TV from LG(CES 2016)

OLED TV from LG(CES 2016)

◆ After Harsh Q1, Warm Breeze of OLED… Spring for Equipment Industry Too

 

However, this will change from Q2. Analyst Hyeoncheol So of Shinhan Investment forecast that LG Display’s OLED TV sales volume and revenue in Q2 2016 will increase by 144% and 106% respectively. He added that the business deficit of OLED TV sector will greatly decrease.

 

LG Display is anticipating that the deficit will turn to profit in H2 2017, with the business profit of up to 1 trillion KRW in 2017, an increase of 115%.

 

Samsung Display, whose LCD and OLED ratio is 50:50, is expected to show 900,000 million KRW in deficit in LCD sector this first quarter. However, this is estimated to be compensated to some degree by the profit in OLED.

 

Samsung Display and LG Display are actively carrying out investment in OLED panel mass production line in Q1. As well as the investment in turning the existing LCD line to OLED, investment in new OLED line establishment is actively being carried out.

 

As such, with the optimistic outlook on OLED within the display market, flexible OLED manufacturing equipment companies such as Tera Semicon, Viatron Technologies, and Dong A Eltek had been discussed as the favorites of securities companies. In fact, Samsung Display’s flexible OLED manufacturing equipment related key collaborator AP Systems showed remarkable growth recording 12,100 million KRW in business profit last year.

 

UBI Research forecast that Korean companies will strengthen their dominance with their 2016 AMOLED shipment’s 95% occupancy of the global market. As OLED is becoming stronger in the TV, smartphone, and VR market, this will become a huge growth engine for global panel companies such as Samsung and LG.

 

“Can’t Cope Because of LCD”… Samsung·LG, in Despair over Large Deficit

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Hyunjoo Kang / OLEDNET / jjoo@olednet.com

<CES 2016 Exhibition. Many Chinese Companies’ LCD TV Were Present.>

Due to the oversupply of LCD panel in global display market, the opinion that Samsung Display and LG Display will also not be able to avoid large amount of deficit is becoming stronger.

 

As of March 28, according to market experts including securities industry, Samsung Display and LG display will both face sizable deficit in LCD sector this quarter.

 

For Samsung Display, Q1 LCD sector is expected to record up to 900,000 million KRW. The company is estimated to reduce the overall display industry deficit with the OLED profit of approximately 400,000 million – 500,000 million KRW. Consequently, Samsung Display is to record approximately 400,000 million – 500,000 million KRW of deficit in Q1 2016.

 

LG Display, whose over 90% of the current production line is for LCD, is estimated to be hit more directly. LG Display has been showing profit in LCD until 2015, but is expected to turn to deficit in Q1 2016. LG Display has been showing deficit in OLED, and market experts are also expecting more deficit in Q1 2016.

 

◆ Unlike Samsung and LG’s High Quality, China Floods Cheaper LCD

The main reasons that display industry is having difficulty include oversupply of Chinese LCD, and overall market depression. Chinese companies’ affordable LCD supply, backed by active support of Chinese government, is damaging Korean companies.

 

Particularly, companies such as BOE, which greatly improved productivity with much assistance from Chinese government including corporate tax exemption, have been pressuring Samsung, LG, and others in the global LCD market. As the Chinese companies are still aggressively investing in LCD facilities, the LCD oversupply is analyzed to continue until 2018.

 

Accordingly, the majority of the industry believe that both Samsung Display and LG Display will carry out LCD production line restructuring. In a recent conference hosted by information company IHS, senior analyst Jeong Du Kang revealed that LG Display could restructure Gumi’s P2, 3, 4 production lines, and added that some thinks L6 production could stop following the same of L5 production line last year.

 

As expected, both companies do not officially comment on these forecast. However, most of the industry players believe that the production line changes of the 2 companies are inevitable.

 

One display expert explained that “unlike Samsung and LG which do not accept even small faults, Chinese companies are pouring out products with slightly lesser quality armed with lower price, and will dominate the mainstream market”.

 

He also estimated that as Samsung and LG are nearing the situation where they have to give up LCD, the speed of which OLED will settle as the main player within the global display market will increase.

Samsung, Even if OLED TV is Released, Different from LG

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Hyunjoo Kang / Reporter / jjoo@olednet.com

<LG Elec. is Introducing OLED TV in CES 2016>

 

Within the TV market, there is an opinion that even Samsung Electronics which believes it is not yet the time for OLED panel cannot continue to insist on LCD. Experts estimate that even if it is the same OLED TV, Samsung Elec. will differentiate the actualization method from competitors’ including LG Electronics. One of the possibilities suggested is Samsung’s selection of ink-jet printed OLED TV panel.

 

Hyun-Suk Kim, Samsung Elec. Visual Display department’s vice president, who recently announced new LCD based SUHD TV mentioned that OLED TV is premature and also needs technological improvements.

 

However, it looks to be difficult for Samsung to insist on LCD TV only in the long term. China is threatening Korean companies in LCD panel market with superior price competitiveness; there is too much risk for Korean display companies such as Samsung Display to invest further in LCD production line. Although Samsung Elec. is not receiving panel supply exclusively from Samsung Display, Samsung Display is the biggest supplier. Therefore, Samsung Display’s LCD investment reduction is also expected to affect Samsung Elec.’s TV business.

 

Furthermore, Samsung Elec. is in the position of having to emphasize OLED’s superior picture quality over LCD in smartphone business, but highlight the opposite in TV. This is also an issue that needs to be tackled.

 

Despite these issues, Samsung cannot easily start on OLED TV as several problems such as price competitiveness have not been solved.

 

<Hyun-Suk Kim, Samsung Elec.’s Vice President, is Introducing New SUHD TV>

 

◆ Ink-jet Printing, Can it Solve OLED for TV Price Issue?

 

According to Dong-won Kim, analyst with Hyundai Securities, Samsung Display, with Samsung Elec. as the biggest client, has unfavorable structure for reducing production cost as 65 inch OLED TV panel production efficiency is low in Gen8 line.

 

Kim estimated that Samsung Display will apply solution process ink-jet printing technology to OLED TV with 2018 mass production target in order to solve this problem.

 

When producing OLED TV panel, WRGB OLED method, which uses evaporation method, can only reduce production cost by certain amount as the material usage efficiency is low. On the other hand, ink-jet printing RGB technology finely deposits ink in liquid form and can reduce materials cost. Additionally, RGB OLED has fewer organic layers compared to WRGB OLED and processes can be decreased.

 

For these reasons, some believe that Samsung will select ink-jet printing method rather than evaporation for OLED TV in future. There is also a view that LG Display, which is currently using evaporation method, will also actively consider producing ink-jet printed OLED TV panel in the long term.

 

A display expert explained that although ink-jet printing processes are simpler than evaporation method, that does not necessarily mean materials cost is always cheaper. The ink-jet printing technology is not yet perfect, and particularly for blue the efficiency issue has not yet been solved.

 

He added that Samsung Elec. has strong tendency to differentiate itself from competitors such as LG, and even if Samsung Elec. releases OLED TV, it is likely that ink-jet printing, which is different from LG, will be the preferred method.

[Light + Building 2016] OSRAM to Release Automotive OLED Lighting within 2-3 Months

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Hyunjoo Kang, Reporter, OLEDNET

<OSRAM’s O-ring, OLED Product Applied Automotive Rear Lamp>

 

During the Lighting + Building 2016 exhibition (March 13-18) held in Frankfurt, Germany, OSRAM revealed that OLED rear lamp equipped cars will be on the road within 2-3 months.

OSRAM exhibited O-ring, OLED product applied to automotive rear lamp at this exhibition, and OLEDNET could see the fruit of OSRAM’s steady automotive lighting product development.

 

<General OLED Lighting Concept Suggested by OSRAM>

The OSRAM representative at the exhibition explained that OSRAM will continue their focus on automotive lighting and develop products but at the right moment, will enter the general lighting market. The representative added that although only the basic concept of the general lighting is present for now, further development will be carried out in future.

[Light + Building 2016] “OLED is Organic Food of Lighting”… LGD Presents Diverse Lighting

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Hyunjoo-Kang, Reporter, OLEDNET

 

<LGD’s Flexible OLED Lighting>

 

 

OLEDNET visited Light + Building 2016 (March 13-18) held in Frankfurt where LG Display unveiled product line up that can be used to diverse applications such as flexible solution, luminaires, mirror solution, module solution, OLED panel products, and transparent connection solution.

During this exhibition, LGD demonstrated their well-deserved reputation as the world leading OLED lighting panel producer.

LGD presented diverse applications for OLED lighting that many people wanted to know. Although they were not directly displayed in the exhibition, the company showed photographs of OLED applied Korean traditional house hanok, as well as more commonly imagined uses such as cosmetic shop, office, show room, café, and restaurant.

<LGD’s Flexible OLED Lighting>

Speaking to the foreign press who attended the exhibition, Joon Park, LGD’s Head of OLED Lighting Sales & Marketing Division, explained that if world’s first Gen5 OLED lighting (1,000 mm x 1,200 mm) investment is carried out and mass production is carried out in H1 2017, additional cost reduction is possible in comparison to before the investment. Park added that the current OLED lighting places more importance to the user experience rather than profit. As organic food is receiving positive response within the market as premium products, OLED lighting will play the role of organic food within the lighting market.

Light+building 2016 LGD OLED Lighting

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LG Display is showcasing its latest advanced OLED light products and solutions at Light+Building 2016

[Light building 2016] Osram OLED Rear Lamp

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Osram is showcasing its OLED rear lamp for cars at Light+Building 2016.

LGD to Build 5G OLED Light Panel Plant…15,000 sheet monthly

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Hyun Joo Kang, Reporter, OLEDNET

Source :LG Display

LGD is Showcasing it`s OLED Light products at Light+Building 2016(Source :LG Display)

LG Display announced today that it will invest in a new OLED light panel manufacturing facility.

The planned facility will be the first 5th generation (1000 x 1200mm) OLED light panel manufacturing plant in the world. It is to be located in the South Korean city of Gumi, where it will produce a range of OLED light panels. The initial input capacity at the plant will be 15,000 glass substrates per month.

The monthly input capacity could be gradually ramped up depending on the market situation. LG Display expects the increased production with the new facility to give the company economies-of-scale.

This will help the company obtain significant price competitiveness. In addition, the accumulated OLED display technical know-how will allow LG Display to considerably enhance OLED light product quality.

The 5th generation facility will give the company panel size flexibility. With the larger glass substrate, LG Display will be able to produce a wide range of different size light panels, including giant ones. Further, this ability to make giant panels will better enable the company to penetrate the general lighting market.

The investment decision follows the acquisition by LG Display of the OLED light business of its sister company, LG Chem in December, 2015. The plan for the new facility is in keeping with LG Display’s vision of bringing the exciting new OLED technology to customers around the world in the broadest array of applications.

The company will firstly focus on task lighting and decorative lighting in high-end retail stores and in luxury hospitality; and expand to the general lighting market going forward.

Also, the company will focus on automotive and convergence applications such as OLED light panels merged with furniture, architectural materials, electronic devices and more.

Mr. Young Kwon Song, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy & Marketing Group at LG Display, said, “Our OLED light business will further strengthen LG Display’s commitment to nurture OLED as the future growth engine. Based on LG Display’s strong track-record and know-how in OLED display business, we will create synergy with the OLED light business and maintain our strong position in the overall OLED industry going forward.”

LG’s OLED light experience began in 2000 with R&D into OLED materials at the Group’s chemicals affiliate, LG Chem, with production of OLED light panels beginning in 2012.

The acquisition last year of the OLED light panel manufacturing business by LG Display has been creating synergies with its production infrastructure and technology in OLED displays.

It allows the company to save costs through integrated purchasing and shared investments, increase productivity by drawing on the accumulated knowledge of the display business, and help improve production infrastructure and use of technology patents.

OLED light is made up of layers of organic materials which is self-illuminating and consumes less power and also emits lower heat than conventional lighting.

It is environmentally friendly and is closest to natural light. Due to its ability to be thin and flexible, it is suitable for different applications and venues and could create new markets for lighting.

According to UBI Research, a market research firm, the OLED light market is expected to grow rapidly from US$ 135 million in 2016 to US$ 1.6 billion in 2020.

[Light+Building 2016]LG Display to Showcase Cutting-edge OLED Light Products and Solutions

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Hyun Joo Kang, Editor, OLEDNET140730_LGD로고_영문

LG Display announced today that it is showcasing its latest advanced OLED light products and solutions at Light+Building 2016, one of the leading global trade fairs for lighting and building services technology, in Frankfurt, Germany, from March 13th to 18th.

Eleven OLED light panels are being exhibited along with four solutions using the panels. LG Display is highlighting the key advantages of OLED light, including the design flexibility that makes it suitable for different applications and venues, as well as its supreme light quality which is closest to natural light, thereby making people feel comfortable and reducing eye fatigue.

The company is exhibiting four solutions using OLED light panels:

Flexible Solution Section

The flexible OLEDs can be used to create unique and creative decorative lighting fixtures. The creativity in design increases along with the length of the panels. The flexible OLED light panels are light-weight and unshatterable. There are applications using 200x50mm flexible panels and 406x50mm flexible panels. The main highlight in this section is an application using many 320x320mm flexible panels.

Transparent Connection Solution Section

The LG Display OLED light panel generates a floating light effect by attaching the panel to glass and providing power through metal mesh transparent conductive film. It can be applied to display cabinets, shelves, and furniture. Especially when it is applied to shelves at stores, the lack of heat preserves product quality while the lack of shadow makes them more visually appealing to customers. The simplicity of OLEDs opens up the possibilities of various designs and applications.

Mirror Solution Section

By embedding the OLEDs into mirrors, LG Display has created a solution that can have a variety of uses. It can be used as a mirror in upscale hospitality settings or as a unique display box in high-end retail stores. When other light sources are used in a mirror solution, they tend to make the mirror too thick whereas OLED keeps the mirror thin and also minimizes glare.

Module Solution Section

OLED light panels allow for easy installation in diverse settings. LG Display is introducing super-slim OLED light modules at the fair with a simple aluminum housing that connects multiple panels into each module, generating unique and sleek designs. The company is showcasing the module solutions in order to demonstrate how well OLED light can be applied to interior design and architecture. It is committed to develop other solutions in order to encourage more and more people to easily use OLED lights.