Korean display-makers to lead OLED sector next decade: IHS

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean display-makers such as Samsung Display and LG Display will maintain their lead in the organic light-emitting diode sector for the next decade, according to a market research firm.“Samsung Display and LG Display will be leading the OLED market for up to 10 years,” said Ricky Park, director of IHS at the OLED Frontier Forum held in Seoul on July 5. “Unlike liquid-crystal displays, OLED requires years of investment and high production expertise, so Chinese displays compa

July 6, 2016

‘Samsung seeks to take on LG in larger OLED’

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display has long gauged the marketability of large-size organic light-emitting diode displays due to their low production yields and high prices. The display-making unit of Samsung Electronics, however, is said to be speeding up preparations to jump into the sector in earnest, testing a series of technologies to improve production capability. Kateeva’s OLED inkjet printer / The Investor“Kateeva will supply the prototypes of its inkjet printers to its global customers in Ko

July 6, 2016

China’s TCL chairman visits Samsung headquarters

[THE INVESTOR] Chinese tech giant TCL’s chairman Li Dongsheng visited Samsung Group’s headquarters in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul, on July 6, possibly to seek partnership on liquid-crystal display business. Li was also accompanied with top executives of China Start Optoelectronics Technology, TCL’s display-making unit and China’s second-largest display maker. TCL chairman Li DongshengSamsung Electronics’ top executives, including CEO and display business chief Kwon Oh-hyun and the company’s TV b

July 6, 2016

Samsung Display to separate LCD, OLED business divisions: report

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics, is expected to separate its liquid-crystal display and organic light-emitting diode business divisions in a planned reshuffle next week, the Electronic Times reported on July 5. This is the first reshuffle since Samsung Electronics vice chairman and CEO Kwon Oh-hyun took the helm of the display business division in April, hinting at the company’s strategic shift toward more lucrative OLED. Samsung’s flexible OLED displayThe com

July 6, 2016

Samsung Display accelerates transition from LCD to OLED

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display, the display business arm of Samsung Electronics, is ramping up its efforts to outpace its rivals in the organic light-emitting diode display sector. As a part of this strategy, the firm is planning a quick transition from liquid-crystal display to OLED at its L7 plant in South Chungcheong Province. The plant currently runs two LCD assembly lines. “Samsung Display will cease the operation of both lines at the L7 plant by the end of this year and replace LCD equipme

July 6, 2016

Toshiba takes on Samsung with US$14.6b investment deal

[THE INVESTOR] Japanese tech firm Toshiba and US hard-disk maker Western Digital will jointly invest 1.5 trillion yen (US$14.6 billion) over the next three years to beef up their flash memory production. The partnership is expected to help Toshiba catch up with Samsung Electronics in the 3-D NAND flash memory sector. Under the latest deal, Toshiba and Western Digital will add a new chip fabrication facility in their existing joint chip-manufacturing plant in Japan’s Yokkaichi complex of Mie Pref

July 6, 2016

Samsung to maintain Europe HQ in UK

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics has decided to maintain its Europe headquarters in the UK after considering relocation to other European Union countries such as the Netherlands and Germany in the wake of Brexit.Citing an unnamed Samsung executive, Maeil Business News reported on July 6 that the Korean tech giant has no plan to relocate its Europe headquarters. A Samsung Galaxy S7 experience zone set up at a shopping mall in London.“Maintaining the current location is the company’s official st

July 6, 2016

Samsung willing to learn from Google

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics on July 5 aired a 20-minute video, titled “Samsung Software Competitiveness Naked,” lamenting about its lack of software prowess directly comparing it with that of the US Internet giant Google. The video, aired early in the morning across Samsung Group’s key affiliates, pinpointed design architecture for software as the key to success stories of software powerhouses such as Google and Facebook. “Facebook’s key competitiveness is software architecture. We also s

July 5, 2016

Samsung employees organize political group in US

[THE INVESTOR] A group of employees at Samsung Electronics’ US office formed a political action committee in 2015 to engage in activities such as fund-raising and providing support for politicians. Called Samsung Electronics America Inc. Political Action Committee, or Samsung America PAC, the group was formed late last year, and since then has raised around $17,000. Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions America headquarters. SamsungSteve Merlis, a senior director of Samsung’s government relation

July 5, 2016

Europe accounts for less share in Samsung’s revenue

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics’ European sales proportion of its entire revenue has been on a downward trend in recent years, according to the tech giant’s sustainability report on July 3. Samsung earned 38.6 trillion won (US$33.6 billion) in 2015, which takes up 19 percent of the firm’s overall revenue, at 200.7 trillion won, in the European region, including countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States.Participants in the Samsung Europe Forum, a showcase event held in Mona

July 4, 2016

Samsung helps building smart factories for SMEs

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics has helped build smart factories for 105 small and medium enterprises during the first half of the year, the company said July 4.Starting with support to 120 SMEs in North Gyeongsang Province last year, the electronics company has accelerated its steps to build smart factories in other regions including Gyeonggi Province, Jeolla provinces and Chungcheong Province, with the total number currently reaching 225.  Saehan TungstenThe tech giant said it aims to sprea

July 4, 2016

Samsung’s sales in China decrease for 3 years in a row

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics’ sales in China continued its downward spiral for the third consecutive year in 2015, according to a report released by the tech giant on July 3.The annual revenue in the Chinese market continued to decrease from 40.1 trillion won (US$34.9 billion) in 2013, 33 trillion won in 2014 and 31 trillion won in 2015, according to its sustainability report 2016, an annual report that provides information on the firm’s performance on economic, environmental, and social f

July 4, 2016

Samsung reduces more than 10,000 employees in China

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics, which has continued streamlining its workforce on its home turf, reduced more than 10,000 employees in the all-important Chinese market last year, according to its recent sustainability report. According to the report published on July 3, a total of 325,677 people worked at the Korean tech giant last year globally, compared to 319,208 workers in 2014. Only Southeast Asia and Japan saw their employee numbers increase over the past year. Especially in Southeast

July 4, 2016

Korean chipmakers plan W38tr equipment investment for 3 years: report

[THE INVESTOR] Korean chipmakers, including the top two Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, are expected to pour a combined 37.8 trillion won (US$33 billion) into wafer fabrication equipment or WFE in the next three years. Starting US$10.02 billion this year, the companies will invest more than US$10 billion every year in the coming years, according to a recent research jointly conducted by market research firm Gartner and chip equipment giant Applied Materials. Samsung’s wafer fabrication facilit

July 1, 2016

Samsung’s consumer electronics business to post robust Q2 profit

[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics’ consumer electronics business is forecast to see its operating profit for the April-June period surpass 1 trillion won ($870 million). Market analysts also expect Samsung to show a strong business performance in the latter half this year, enjoying the weak Korean won due to Britain’s vote to exit the EU. The CE business will likely see its operating income for the second quarter cross 1 trillion won for the first time since 2009, according to invest

July 1, 2016

Samsung’s components businesses likely to suffer loss in Q2

 [THE INVESTOR] Samsung Group’s electronic components businesses, including Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Samsung SDI, are forecast to show disappointing earnings results for the April-June period, according to market analysts.Samsung Electro-Mechanics will post 21.7 billion won ($18.9 million) in operating income, down 49.4 percent from the previous quarter, with its revenue coming in at 1.6 trillion won, up 2.6 percent from the first quarter, according to a recent investment report released b

July 1, 2016

Samsung Display to replace another LCD plant with OLED operations

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Display has decided to replace one of its liquid-crystal display plants with organic light-emitting diode panel-making production lines in a move highlighting the firm's resolve to focus on the latter.  This is the sixth such LCD plant that Samsung has shut down or replaced with OLED operations. Industry sources said on June 30 that the display-making unit of Samsung Electronics will stop the operation of its LCD production line in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, by the

June 30, 2016