Matsushita to Invest in TFT-LCD Panel Production

TOKYO, Sept. 22 -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. has reported that it plans to invest 32 billion yen (US $300 million) in the production of thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels. The company will install a new TFT-LCD panel production line using 550-mm x 670-mm glass substrates at its Ishikawa plant. The production capacity of the new line is expected to be 15,000 sheets per month.
The new production line will use glass substrates the same size as those currently employed at Matsuchita's Uozu plant. Company officials noted that the this would reduce the time required to make the new line operational from approximately 18 months to 11 months. Matsushita plans to add more production lines by 2001, with details to be finalized by August 2000.