TCL BOE has invested over RMB 20 billion in betting LCD panel lines

In the past one year, the generation of high-level LCD panels in China has been surging again. Last weekend, two companies that are currently building high-generation lines in China—TCL Group (000100) and BOE (000725) announced on the same day that the LCD panel investment latest measures. TCL pointed out that after consultation with Shenzhen Investment Co., Ltd., Huaxing Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. established for the investment of both parties will revise the terms of the joint venture agreement. The final investment ratio of TCL Group will be adjusted to 55% by TCL, and BOE officials will confirm the participation for the first time. The 8th-generation line to be built in Hefei City will participate in 10% of the project company as a technical consultant.

Last Friday, the A-share market continued to maintain a volatile pattern. However, TCL and BOE, two leading companies in the LCD panel manufacturing business, stepped out of the strong market. The TCL Group rose against the market by more than 3%, and BOE was based on the daily limit.

Japanese and Korean companies will join sooner or later

The reason behind this was disclosed in the announcement following the rest of the market. BOE confirmed in the announcement that there were rumors that the company had indeed participated in the 8th generation TFT-LCD production line planned to be built in Hefei City and participated in the 10% share of the project company as a technical consultant to provide advice on its preliminary planning and approval work.

Not too long ago, on September 3, also in Hefei, BOE has just announced that its Hefei 6th generation line with an investment of RMB 17.5 billion has officially entered trial production, and is expected to reach volume production in October this year.

In addition to Hefei, in the capital city of Beijing, BOE’s first-generation and eighth-generation lines are already in full swing.

It is not just BOE that has increased its investment. In Shenzhen, TCL’s 8.5 LCD panel production line has disclosed the progress of the project in a series of short days. After signing a loan contract totaling US$1.28 billion with a syndicate of five major banks such as the China Development Bank, TCL increased the capital of Huaxing Optoelectronics, which implemented the 8.5-generation line project, over the weekend.

TCL Group stated that the company and Shenzhen Shenchao Science & Technology Investment Co., Ltd. have negotiated to modify the terms of the joint venture of Huaxing Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. The final investment ratio will be adjusted to 50% by both parties and the TCL Group will account for 55% (investment of RMB 5.5 billion). Super company 45% (invested 4.5 billion yuan), registered capital is still 10 billion yuan.

“Despite the fact that Shenchao’s shareholding in China Star Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. has decreased, the investment amount of the Shenzhen Municipal Government has not changed, and the reduced 500 million yuan has participated in the private placement of TCL, and the funds for TCL’s private placement will still be invested. The 8.5-generation line," said Liang Qichun, general manager of the TCL Group Brand Center, told this reporter yesterday. After this round of capital increase, TCL has achieved control over China Star Optoelectronics.

An industry insider who is familiar with the high-generation investment of the two companies points out to the reporter that TCL and BOE currently have the first-mover advantage over Samsung, LG, Sharp and other companies in the construction of the 8th-generation line in China. It is only a matter of time before Korean companies join the competition. “In addition to facing the upcoming competition, the two companies may also compete against each other themselves,” the person said.