Merck, Chisso to Produce Liquid Crystal in Taiwan
December 09, 2005
According to a statement by the German company Merck, the company has finished construction on a new liquid crystal plant in Taoyuan, Taiwan, and it plans to start liquid crystal shipments in the first quarter of 2006. Merck has invested NT$900 million in the plant. Liquid crystal demand in Taiwan mainly comes from LCD panel makers, who in the past imported liquid crystal from other countries. Merck claims to have a worldwide liquid crystal market share of approximately 70%, with a similar share of the Taiwanese market.
Japanese Chisso recently started construction on a new liquid crystal production site in the city of Tainan, investing NT$200 million in the project. When the plant will enter mass production in 2007, the company expects to reach an annual production capacity of 100 tons, with which Taiwan will replace Japan as the company's main production location.