The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) sector is enjoying an upsurge in sales as the introduction of 30-inch and 32-inch screens helps augment demand for many manufacturers.

LG Philips LCD said this week that it had seen sales of its units surpass the 100,000 mark, tripling demand since the end of last year.

The introduction of the 32-inch LCD has proved particularly popular, with the firm predicting the sector will enjoy a 20 per cent rise in the second quarter in comparison with the previous one.

With 37-inch panels also set to be introduced this year, LG Phillips says it is confident that growth in the sector will continue.

Meanwhile, glass manufacturer Corning has also detailed its forecasts for growth, with the company expecting LCD sales to help post first-quarter sales of more than $1 billion.

It identified LCD as one of the key drivers of profit andCorning vice chairman and chief financial officer James B. Flaws predicted sales of LCD glass would grow by between five and ten per cent in the next set of results.

He described LCD televisions as one of the firm's emerging sectors, and said for the first time they would constitute a "key driver" of the company's sales.

Market researchers at Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices predicted last week that global sales of flat panel TVs will rocket by 66 per cent this year, with the use of pgms in the manufacturing process potentially yielding rewards for platinum producers.