Prices of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels will remain high up to the second quarter of 2021 due to the recent fire yet AGC’s glass substrate manufacturing plant in South Korea, market research firms say.
Prior to the fire, research firms pointed that price increases of LCD will make a downturn in the second quarter, with supply problem easing in the third quarter.
AGC Fine Techno Korea suffered a furnace explosion on January 29. Prior to the fire, the furnace was being repaired. There is no plan for the plant to produce glasses in the first quarter.
Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) said the plant was planning to supply glass substrates to CSOT in the second quarter after the repairs. DSCC expects this planned has now been jeopardized due to the fire. DSCC expects the impact from the accident to have minimal impact on worldwide glass substrate supply but tight supply will continue up to the summer.
TrendForce stressed that fire at AFC follows that of the blackout of NEG’s glass substrate factory in December. NEG’s Takatsuki factory is expected to resume operations after the first quarter. A
NEG’s Takatsuki plant accounts for 3% of worldwide glass supply and AGC Fine Techno Korea accounts for 1%.
According to DSCC, prices of TV LCD panels is continuing to increase. The price of an open cell was US$183 per 55-inch sheet in January, a 5% increase from December.
A AGC Fine Techno Korea spokesperson said its plant that suffered the explosion was not in operation. When it would operate again after the repair was also not decided at the time, they said. The spokesperson said the explosion won’t impact its production plans.
