Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer TCL
and Taiwanese display solution provider Coretronic announced on April 22, 2009,
that the two companies will form a joint venture to produce backlight modules
for use in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TVs, according to Chinese-language
China Times. The new venture will be located in TCL's existing LCD module
manufacturing facility and is projected to commence production in October 2009.
Meanwhile, TCL has signed a deal to set up two
new LCD TV production lines in Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone of
Sichuan province, according to a local Chengdu Evening News report on April 29.
TCL is expected to invest about 50 million RMB (US$7.4 million; US$1=6.8 RMB)
to 60 million RMB (US$8.8 million) in the first-phase project, and construction
on the two production lines is slated for completion in October this year. TCL
expects to manufacture 300,000 LCD TVs by year-end 2009 and estimates a
full-year output of 1.4 million in 2010.