Samsung Display to Begin Investment in the World’s First 8.6-Generation IT OLED Production Line

Samsung Display will start investing in the world’s first 8.6-generation IT organic light-emitting diode (OLED) production line.

On the 10th, Samsung Display announced that it held the "A6 Production Line Equipment Introduction Ceremony" on the 8th at the Asan plant in Chungcheongnam-do, declaring the full-scale start-up of the 8.6-generation IT OLED production line.

The A6 production line is an 8.6-generation IT-specific OLED production line created by Samsung Display by converting the existing L8 production line. This will be Samsung's sixth OLED production line and, upon completion, will become the highest generation OLED production line in the world.

Samsung Display recently completed the construction of the cleanroom for the new production line and introduced deposition equipment required for converting OLED organic materials into display pixels. Starting from this, Samsung plans to install the main facilities within this year and begin full-scale mass production in 2026.

In April last year, Samsung Display announced its plan to invest 4.1 trillion Korean won in the IT OLED field by 2026, aiming to establish a production line with an annual capacity of 10 million laptop panels.

Samsung Display became the first company in the industry to commercialize IT OLED in 2019. Just last year, it collaborated with 17 laptop brands worldwide, launching more than 50 types of laptops with OLED displays.

Choi Joo-seon, CEO of Samsung Display, stated, “Samsung Display is preparing for a significant transformation in the IT market following the mobile market, based on the OLED technology we have been accumulating over the long term.”

He added, “Based on a solid cooperation system with global partners, we will focus the capabilities of our executives and employees to make every effort to mass-produce the 8.6-generation IT OLED.”

As panel manufacturers have recently reported a rebound in capacity utilization rates, industry analysts believe that despite a monthly price increase for TV panels since the middle of last year, panel manufacturers still suffered losses last year due to low utilization rates. The recent significant recovery in utilization rates has given panel manufacturers hope for turning losses into profits.