Samsung Display Co., the display panel making affiliate of Samsung Electronics Co., is accelerating its conversion of liquid crystal display (LCD) manufacturing facilities into quantum-dot (QD) display lines with an aim to launch a new generation QD panel in 2021.

South Korea’s dominant display maker said Wednesday that it has brought in the first batch of QD display making equipment to their new plant in Asan, south of Seoul, after successfully converting the LCD lines into the QD lines.

The company unveiled its plan to complete the new QD line setup within the latter half of this year and begin test operations in phases next year to mass produce 65-inch QD displays.

The company in October announced to invest 13.1 trillion won ($10.9 billion) in QD display to become the leader in the premium display market. Since then, it has turned its L8 lines at Asan factory, which mainly produced liquid crystal display panels for TVs, into QD display making lines, and recently completed setting up clean rooms for QD display production.

Samsung aims to groom QD display as the next-generation display that can compete with the rivaling organic light-emitting diode (OLED) large-size displays whose production is led by LG Display.

The company is also phasing out from the LCD market eroded by cheap China-made products and it is currently seeking to sell part of its LCD facilities to Chinese and other foreign makers.

On Thursday, shares of Samsung Electronics finished up 0.57 percent at 52,900 won. Samsung Display is not listed.

By Chun Gyung-woon and Cho Jeehyun

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