The world's largest television producer, Samsung Electronics, has announced that it is to ramp up its production of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.

According to the company, the move comes in response to growing demand for LCD screens across the world, and will see the firm push up production by an extra 130,000 units within two quarters.

A Samsung spokesman confirmed: "Samsung will increase the monthly production of 40-inch LCDs from 20,000 units in the second quarter to 150,000 units in the fourth quarter."

The move is designed to counteract a recent announcement from Samsung's rival, LG Philips, which is due to begin production of 42-inch LCDs during the first half of next year.

That competition is being fuelled by the increasing demand among consumers for LCD screens, and although 32-inch panels currently account for the majority of Samsung's sales, experts believe there will be a surge in demand for the larger screens over the coming months.

Explaining this view, a Samsung official commented that 32-inch panels "are not large enough to satisfy customers watching TV in a living room".

Market researchers at Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices have predicted 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.


Ÿ Adfero Ltd