Samsung to Sell 8th-Gen LCD Equipment, Shifts to OLED

According to reports from South Korean media, Samsung Display plans to continue selling its 8th-generation Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) equipment. This includes the L8-1-2 and L8-2-2 production lines, both of which have already ceased operations.

The L8 series at Samsung Display includes four production lines: L8-1-1, L8-2-1, L8-1-2, and L8-2-2. The L8-1-1 line, which was the first to stop operations in 2019, has already been replaced by the 8th-generation Quantum Dot (QD)-Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) production line (A5). Meanwhile, the L8-2-1 line is currently being transformed into an 8th-generation OLED production line for IT products (A6).

Apart from the 8th-generation LCD lines in Suzhou, China, which were sold to TCL Huaxing, all other LCD lines have been shut down, with Samsung Display focusing entirely on OLED technology.

As part of its ongoing strategy, Samsung Display, through its affiliate Samsung C&T, began selling off some of its LCD equipment last month. This includes LCD module automatic packaging machines from Toptec, 8Y post-scribing cleaning machines from FNS Tech, and conveyor systems from SFA. Some of this equipment has already been dismantled.

Despite Samsung Display's continued efforts to sell off 8th-generation LCD equipment, the market demand remains uncertain. The industry has increasingly shifted towards 10th-generation production lines, which offer better cost efficiency, leaving the demand for 8th-generation LCD equipment unclear. Market research firm DSCC predicts that global LCD equipment investment will see a slight increase this year but is expected to decline over the next two years, with a near-zero investment forecast by 2027.

However, DSCC also highlights that investments in LCD factories for larger displays, such as 85-inch and above televisions, are still ongoing. In addition, LCD manufacturers are exploring new applications, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), to expand the reach of LCD panels beyond traditional uses.