South Korea’s Samsung SDI will put an end to CRT (cathode ray tube) production at its manufacturing base in Seremban, Malaysia and replace it with a production line for secondary cells.

Samsung SDI had clinched the world’s top title for small-sized secondary battery cells last year for the second consecutive year. The company’s latest decision to manufacture secondary cells in its Malaysia base suggests Samsung SDI is laying the groundwork to further its global dominance by reinforcing its production capacity, say experts.

“We will be closing down our CRT production line in Malaysia by September this year, and making a switch to manufacture secondary cells,” confirmed a high-ranking official of Samsung SDI Tuesday.

Malaysia’s Seremban is home to a cluster of production plants belonging to Samsung Group. Samsung SDI had built four CRT production lines in this production complex initially, of which only two remain. These remaining lines will also be closed by the third quarter (Q3) and switched to a secondary cell production line in efforts to improve efficiency of the company’s overseas production. After the replacement, only two production lines in the Samsung SDI plant in Shenzhen, China will continue producing CRTs.

The Malaysian government is reportedly thrilled by the news of Samsung SDI’s switch to secondary cell production. Secondary cells are classified as green industry, an up-and-coming industrial sector, and hosting a secondary cell production base will do much to boost the industrial reputation of Malaysia.

Once the replacement is completed, Samsung SDI will hold two overseas production lines for secondary cells following its earlier base in Tianjin, China.

[Written by In-hyuk Hwang - Samji Chung / edited by Soyoung Chung]

By 정삼지

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]