HannStar Display holds positive 3Q09 outlook on extended order visibility

LCD panel maker HannStar Display is positive about its business outlook for the third quarter as the company has seen the order visibility for its small- to medium-size LCD panels extend to July, according to the company.

HannStar is actively increasing its share in the global small- to medium-size panel market. Apart from small-size panels for handsets and GPS devices, the company is also concentrating on developing netbook and notebook panels in 2009, market sources noted.

Production from its 5.3G plant enabled HannStar to become the worldwide top netbook panel supplier in the first quarter of 2009, followed by second-place AU Optronics (AUO) and third-place Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT).

For the 7-inch segment, a 5.3G glass sheet can be cut into 91 panels, while 4.5G and 5G ones can only produce 36 panels and 78 panels respectively. For the 10.1-inch segment, a 5.3G sheet can be cut into 45 panels, compared to 18 panels from a 4.5G sheet and 40 from 5G, the sources explained.

In terms of its own brand business, Hannspree is a high-end brand offering LCD TVs, monitors, netbooks, and digital photo frames. The HannsG brand mainly sells mid-range LCD monitors, while the I-INC brand focuses on entry-level products.

HannStar aims to ship four million monitors and 700,000 LCD TVs in 2009, the company noted.

The sources indicated that besides LCD panel and brand business, HannStar is also working with Wintek and color filter (CF) maker Sintek to develop touch panel applications in 2009.

Source: HannStar, compiled by Digitimes, May 2009

Article translated by Yvonne Yu