Sharp has invested $1.46 billion in a new LCD manufacturing plant in Kameyama City, Japan.
The plant will produce large-screen LCD panels for use in LCD TVs 40in and above, CNET reported. Construction of the plant will begin in July, with panel production set to start in October 2006.
Predictions for the large-screen television market continue to rise as digital television programming increases and consumers purchase bigger screens to take advantage of better picture quality and falling prices.
Many screen and television makers, including Sony, Samsung and LG.Philips LCD, have been investing in plants that can produce bigger screens more efficiently and in larger quantities.
Sharp was one of the first to jump into the LCD TV business. The company said its new plant will be able to produce eight 40in panels or six 50in panels per substrate sheet. It plans to use 15,000 substrate sheets per month, which will increase to 30,000 substrate sheets when a second production line is started in 2007.
The company plans to rely on new methods and equipment to improve plant production processes. Sharp has another, smaller plant in Kameyama City.
