HB Technology loses W25b display repair equipment bid in China

HB Technology, a key South Korean supplier for display testing equipment failed to bag a 25 billion-won Chinese bid for supplying display repair equipment, according to China Bidding on Aug. 19.

The bidding data portal said HB’s local rival Charm Engineering will be supplying the 61 units of repair equipment for the Gen-8.6 LCD lines of China-based display maker HKC’s plant in Mianyang City of Sichuan.

However, HB Technology did manage win a separate order for 46 units of AOI testing equipment in the same Gen-8.6 lines.

HB became a major force in the field ever since it began to exclusively supply the AOI equipment to all of Samsung Display’s production lines after Israeli equipment firm Orbotech was kicked out for technology leaks.

HB Technology has since then been looking to expand into the display repair market, confident that it may once again defeat Charm Engineering. Back in 2015, HB had supplied repair equipment to Samsung Display’s A3 plant in Asan city of South Chungcheong Province when Charm Engineering had to step out of the picture due to internal feuding.

Prior to that, HB Technology usually handled all the testing equipment for Samsung Display, while Charm supplied the repair equipment.

HB Technology’s repair equipment business is run by Jeong Do-soon, who formerly worked at Samsung Electronics and also Charm Engineering.

Meanwhile, Charm Engineering said the purchase order for the latest Chinese deal is anticipated for the end of this month.

Construction on HKC’s Gen-8.6 LCD lines in Mianyang began in October last year, based on 24 billion yuan (4.12 trillion won) of investment. The plant’s monthly production capacity is set at 120,000 A-Si and IGZO TFT LCDs panels, which will begin to be produced early next year based on the IPS method.
 

The Elec is South Korea’s No.1 tech news platform.