Sharp and Sony has announced that they will enter into a joint venture LCD co-operation. They want to build the first 10th generation (10G) LCD plant that is also the first plant to produce 10G LCD mother glass substrates.
Sony has traditionally been a Samsung partner in the LCD business. They have two 8G (8th generation) LCD plants together. Samsung has talked about a 11G plant but it seems that Sony has now joined forced with Sharp.
8G glass substrate. Each box is a 46-inch LCD panel
From an 8G mother glass substrate you can “cut” eight 46-inch LCD panels. From a 10G mother glass substrate you can cut eight 50-inch LCD panels – or make even bigger LCD panels. A 10G plant is considered the most important step in order to manufacture cheap 60-inch LCD panels.
With this new agreement it looks like Sony will be using Sharp’s ASV LCD panels in the future - probably mainly in their big LCD-TVs. ASV LCD panels are considered some of the best LCD panels out there. They utilize the same principle as S-PVA panels from the Samsung/Sony S-LCD partnership.
8th generation Sharp LCD plant
Sharp will establish a new subsidiary called “Sharp Display Products Corporation”, owned 100 % by Sharp. 100 million yen is invested.
Full press release below. Click to enlarge:
Sony and Sharp join forces in LCD business
