Corning Display Technologies Taiwan, the local subsidiary of US-based Corning, will establish a smelting furnace to make mother glass used in TFT-LCDs (thin film transistor-liquid crystal displays) in…
Corning Display Technologies Taiwan, the local subsidiary of US-based Corning, will establish a smelting furnace to make mother glass used in TFT-LCDs (thin film transistor-liquid crystal displays) in Taiwan specifically for local supply. Smelting furnaces are to produce mother glass, which is then further processed into glass substrates for use in colour filters, a key component of TFT-LCDs. Corning is the world“s largest manufacturer of glass substrates. In view of the fast development of Taiwan“s TFT-LCD manufacturing industry, Corning set up the aforementioned subsidiary to supply glass substrates for local manufacturers of TFT-LCDs and color filters. The four main local TFT-LCD producers: AU Optronics Corp., Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp., Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd., and HannStar Display Corp., as well as the local colour filter makers Cando Corp. and Allied Material Technology Corp. are Corning Taiwan“s clients. Corning Taiwan currently operates a factory in the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park located in Tainan County, southern Taiwan. The factory has six production lines to process mother glass into glass substrates of varying sizes for domestic supply. Through Corning“s global operation and logistics network, Corning Taiwan provides 24-hour instant services via specific e-commerce for local clients As the domestic demand for glass substrates is increasing and many local TFT-LCD manufacturers are setting up or plan to set up production lines of fifth-generation manufacturing technology, Corning Taiwan has decided to establish a smelting furnace in Taiwan, with construction to begin in 2003 and to be completed in 2004. Based on estimation by local TFT-LCD makers, Corning Taiwan“s investment for this project is expected to exceed NT$ 10 billion.