Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices, a joint venture of Seiko Epson and Sanyo Electric, will launch into operation in October. The new company is an integration of the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) businesses owned by Epson, Sanyo, Sanyo LCD Engineering, and Tottori Sanyo Electric. Manufacturing small and medium-sized LCD panels for digital cameras and mobiles phones will be its focus.

 

Epson and Sanyo will each hold 55% and 45% of the share. The company will be situated in Tokyo, with a workforce of 2,500, and capital of US$137 million. Sanyo and Epson plan to respectively have officials assume the president's and vice president's role.

 

The birth of Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices is pursuant to Sanyo and Seiko Epson's agreement in March this year, a concerted step to augment their competitiveness in the flat panel market.