Abstract
The glass substrate industry is witnessing rapid growth in technological
innovation driven by the market demand for larger size glasses. Advancement in
the size of display glasses or shifting from one generation of glass to
another generation is driven by the need for bringing about economies of scale
in the utilization of these glasses.
So, with increasing demand for larger size LCD glasses, Corning, the leader in
the LCD glass substrate industry, along with Asahi Glass and Nippon Electric
Glass are investing in technologies to fulfill the increasing demand for
larger glass substrates. Corning has in fact started working on Generation 10
glass substrates that will have the capability of producing 15 42-inch panels
as compared to only eight 42-inch panels that could be realized from
Generation 5 substrates.
Although LCD glass substrates find their applications in LCD television
panels, notebooks, PC monitors and handsets, the growth of the substrate
market is mostly driven by the increasing demand for LCD televisions. As LCD
televisions are fast replacing CRTs and its penetration rate is still very low
in the North American and European regions, there is going to be higher level
of growth for LCD TVs. Glass substrate industry, the suppliers to LCD panel
makers are expected to make huge gains from the growth of LCD TVs.
The report is a study on the functioning and performance of the LCD glass
substrate industry. It analyzes the supply chain of the LCD glass industry and
presents the size and growth of the industry over the years. It also assesses
the growth drivers and the factors that are creating business opportunities
for the glass substrate makers. The share, performance and strategies of the
three leading companies - Corning, Asahi Glass and Nippon Electric have been
analyzed in the report. Further, the future of the LCD glass industry and the
growth of the LCD glass substrate in each application - LCD TV, notebooks, PC
monitors and mobile handsets have been assessed in the report.