LG Display is building an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) light panel manufacturing facility in order to help the company penetrate the general lighting market.
LG claims the facility will be the first 5th-generation OLED light panel plant in the world and will be located in the South Korean city of Gumi. The initial capacity at the facility will be 15,000 glass substrates per month, and LG says this capacity could be gradually ramped up depending on the market situation.
LG’s investment in the light glass panel facility follows the acquisition of the OLED light business from its sister company, LG Chem, which it purchased in December of last year. The 5th-generation glass panel fab will give the company panel-size flexibility, including being able to produce a wide range of different light panels such as giant panels. LG says having giant light panels as part of its product portfolio will help LG to further pierce into the general illumination market.
The initial focus of the light panels will be on task lighting and decorative lighting for high-end retail stores and in luxury hospitality. LG says it will expand its focus to the general lighting market in the future as well as automotive and convergence applications, such as OLED light panels merged with furniture, architectural materials, electronic devices and more.
LG says by merging its OLED light-panel manufacturing business with other technology investments, cost savings can be reached through integrated purchasing and shared investments and can lead to increased productivity and improved production infrastructure across business lines.
To contact the author of this article, email engineering360editors@ihs.com
