2nd phase of AUO's Kunshan plant opens, eyes automotive market

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) AUO Corp., a leading Taiwanese flat panel supplier, has begun operations of the second phase of its 6th-generation Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS) LCD fab in Kunshan, China, to increase production of glass substrates.

In a statement, AUO said that with the newly added capacity in its Kunshan plant, it will be able to produce more than 40,000 units of glass substrates per month.

According to the company, when the first stage of the Kunshan plant became operational in 2016, it was the first 6th-generation LTPS flat screen plant in China and produced Gen 6 glass substrates measuring 1500mm x 1850mm.

Second phase production will roll out substrates for displays used in high-end notebooks, as well as low-carbon energy-saving and automotive displays and other value-added niche products.

"Kunshan possesses exceptional development advantages, and its complete optoelectronics industry chain with advanced display technology at its core makes it a key growth and development base for AUO," AUO CEO and President Frank Ko (柯富仁) said in the statement.

AUO said it has three production bases in China, with the Kunshan complex "serving as its front-end panel production facility and core development hub for the company's global expansion of LTPS panels."

According to Ko, the establishment of the Gen 6 LTPS production line will enable AUO to secure a strong market position in products such as mobile phones, notebooks, and automotive parts.

In response to the growing electric vehicle market, AUO said the Kunshan plant has solid technological foundations and can capitalize on the energy-efficient characteristics of LTPS panels to meet the demand for green, energy-saving features in EVs.

Aside from its efforts to turn the Kunshan complex into an efficient 5G smart factory, AUO said a distinguishing feature of the complex is a rooftop solar power plant that can now generate 23 million kWh of power, accounting for 6 percent of the facility's annual power needs.