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| November 8, 2002 | ||
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AFPD Pte. Ltd. Celebrates Official Plant Opening and |
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| Singapore - AFPD Pte., Ltd.,
one of the newest and largest electronics manufacturing
operations in Singapore, today marked the official opening
of its advanced thin-film transistor liquid crystal display
(TFT LCD) production facilities in Tampines, Singapore.
The celebrations were attended by BG (NS) George Yeo, the
Minister for Trade & Industry of Singapore, Mr. Teo
Ming Kian, Chairman of EDB, Mr. Kunihiko Makita, Ambassador
of Japan to Singapore, Mr. Chong Lit Cheong, CEO of JTC
Corporation, and other distinguished guests. The AFPD facility is the first TFT LCD plant in Southeast Asia and the world's largest production plant for low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) TFT LCD, an advanced type of display panel. AFPD already has 500 employees, a number scheduled to rise to over 700 by March 2003. The total investment in the company and its operations is expected to reach ¥123 billion (approximately S$1.8 billion) within the first two years of operation. Commenting on the opening, Mr. Yasusuke Sumitomo, President and CEO of Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. said, "AFPD integrates the cutting-edge display technologies and production expertise harnessed by our R&D and manufacturing facilities in Japan, and plays a key role for unfolding our global strategy for enhancing our position in the global LCD market.h "Excellent support provided by the Singaporean Government and the superb infrastructure of this country allowed us to start this significant venture so smoothly,h Mr. Sumitomo added. Established on March 14, 2001, initially as a joint venture between Toshiba Corporation and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., AFPD is now a subsidiary of Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. (TMD), the joint venture formed from the April, 1, 2002 merger of Toshiba and Matsushita's display panel businesses. TMD, 60% owned by Toshiba and 40% by Matsushita, is dedicated to leadership in the world market for advanced TFT-LCDs, and will reinforce production at its four Japan facilities with the output of its new Singapore operation. The construction of AFPD's 6-storey building was completed in February 2002, and the company began to ramp up manufacturing in August 2002. Present production capacity stands at 30,000 730mm x 920mm glass substrates per month, and plans call for an increase to 55,000 sheets a month within the first two years of operation. At that point, AFPD will be the world's largest single source of LTPS TFT LCDs, which offer significantly brighter, clearer images and a smaller packaging profile than the conventional TFT LCD screens produced by other leading LCD manufacturers. Commenting on the new facilities, Mr. Toshiaki Fujii, Managing Director of AFPD, said, "Singapore was chosen as the home for AFPD on the strengths of its excellent infrastructure, skilled workforce and strong support industries. This choice has already been justified by the fact that ramping up of this advanced display devices is proceeding as scheduled." The display panel business remains one of the most promising and exciting aspects of the IT revolution, with LCDs a key component in diverse equipment ranging from portable phones to personal DVD players, portable PCs and slim-profile TVs. The LTPS LCD is an ideal device for thin profile TVs, notebook PC monitors as various kinds of portable equipment. AFPD will focus on the manufacture of large-sized LTPS displays, while small- and medium sized LTPS devices used for such products as cellular phones will be produced at TMD's Fukaya Plant in Japan. TMD is recognized for its cutting-edge position in flat panel displays. The company leads the industry in state-of-the-art LTPS technology, and has brought this know-how to AFPD, its first TFT-LCD plant outside Japan and the first in Singapore or the wider region. About Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd is a leader in display devices, LCDs and Organic light emitting diode displays. The company's technology of low temperature polysilicon assures its position as a leading company in other electronic devices. Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co.,Ltd has 2,700 employees and annual sales of over US$2,300 million. For further information, please visit the Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co.,Ltd home page at: |
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Information in the press releases, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current on the date of the press announcement,but is subject to change without prior notice. |
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