Vertical Divider

Samsung Display Anticipates Gen 8.5 OLED/QD Fab with ~180K Sheets/Month
December 10, 2018

As we previously reported, Samsung Display is converting one of its 8.5G LCD fabs, the L8-1, into a production base for the development of QD-OLED (quantum dot-OLED) panels with the transition process likely to begin in the middle of 2019. The L8-1 fab has a total capacity of 200,000 substrates a month, and the transition should enable Samsung to roll out 160,000-180,000 substrates for QD-OLED panels.  Since the L8-1 fab focuses on production of 49- and 55-inch LCD TV panels, the planned production shift will result in a reduction of Samsung's TV panel shipments to ~30 million units in 2019 compared to estimated shipments of ~38-39 million units for 2018, said the sources. Following the conversion, Samsung will set up a trial production line for QD-OLED panels in 2019 with plans to begin ramping up the output of such panels in 2020. The capex is expected to be ~KRW10 trillion (US$8.95 billion) for the development and production of QD-OLED panels from 2019-2021. Samsung Display and LG Display have closed five 5G LCD lines and one 7G LCD fab. The planned closure of the L8-1 fab should help ease the mounting oversupply pressures the industry is likely to brace for in the next three years.