【英语科技】三星计划减少LCD面板产量

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest producer of liquid-crystal-displays by sales, said it has slowed output at its LCD factories because of weak demand and to help ease a global supply glut.

Samsung's LCD factory-utilization rate currently stands at 90% to 94%, down from the end of November, when the company produced LCD panels at full capacity, said Chang Won-kie, president of Samsung Electronics' LCD business, at a meeting Monday of industry executives.

LCD makers normally adjust their factory-utilization rates around this time of the year, often resulting in a drop in output.

But the Samsung executive's comment comes at a time when many LCD producers have been reeling from falling profitability because of weak demand for such screens from television-set makers, particularly those in Europe and the U.S.

Analysts said Samsung's effort to reduce output, if joined by its rivals, could help contain further price falls and advance a much-awaited industry rebound.

Nam Ki-yung, a Samsung Electronics spokesman, said the reduction of the company's LCD output is partly because of year-end maintenance and adjustment of some output lines to gear up for new products.

Samsung's LCD division, which makes screens for phones, computers and TVs, saw a sharp drop in operating-profit margin to 6.5% in the third quarter from 11.3% in the second quarter amid weaker sales of LCD TVs.

South Korea's LG Display Co., the world's No. 2 LCD maker by sales, also said in October its third-quarter profit more than halved from the year-earlier period, largely because of weak panel prices.

It forecast the decline in prices would persist at least throughout the fourth quarter.

A spokesman for LG Display said Monday the company's LCD panel factory-utilization rate remains almost the same as the third quarter.

LG Display said in October that its average factory-utilization rate in the third quarter was in the low 90s in percentage terms.

At the meeting of LCD industry executives Monday, LG Display Chief Executive Kwon Young-soo said the company will be flexible about the timetable for its new China plant, which it plans to build after recently obtaining Chinese government approval.

Early this month, Samsung and LG Display, which hold a combined 50% share of the global LCD market, said they had received approval from China to build LCD manufacturing plants on the mainland, which is expected to become the world's largest market for flat-screen TV sets in a few years.

全球销量最大的液晶显示器（LCD）生产商三星电子公司（Samsung Electronics Co.）说，考虑到需求走弱，公司已降低LCD工厂的产量，从而缓解全球供应过剩的状况。

Itar Tass/Newscom由于需求走弱，许多液晶显示器生产商都面临着利润率下降。上图为三星在俄罗斯Vorsino的一条组装线。三星电子LCD业务总裁张元基（Chang Won-kie）在周一参加行业管理人士会议时说，三星LCD产能利用率目前是90%到94%，与11月末相比有所下降，当时LCD面板的产能利用率是100%。

LCD制造商一般都在每年的这个时候调整产能利用率，通常都是下调产量。

但张元基的此番谈话正值许多LCD生产商面临利润率下降之时，因为电视机制造商对这种面板的需求减弱，尤其是在欧洲和美国。

分析师说，如果其他竞争对手与三星一样实行减产，那么将会有助于抑制价格进一步下跌，并促使期待已久的行业回升成为现实。

三星电子发言人Nam Ki-yung说，公司减少LCD产量部分是由于年底对一些产品线的维护和调整，从而为新产品做准备。

三星LCD部门主要制造手机、电脑和电视屏幕。由于LCD电视的销量减少，三星LCD部门第三季度的经营利润率从第二季度的11.3%大幅下跌至6.5%。

作为全球销量仅次于三星的第二大LCD生产商，韩国LG Display Co.在10月份也说其第三季度的利润比去年同期下降了一半多，大部分是因为面板价格下降。

公司预计价格下降将会至少持续至第四季度。

LG Display发言人周一说，公司LCD产能利用率几乎与第三季度持平。

LG Display10月份曾说其第三季度的平均产能利用率在90%左右。

在周一举行的LCD行业管理人士会议上，LG Display首席执行长Kwon Young-soo说，公司在中国成立新工厂的时间表将会是灵活的，原本计划在最近获取中国政府许可后建立。

本月初，共同占有全球LCD市场50%份额的三星和LG Display说，他们已获得在中国大陆建立LCD生产工厂的许可，中国大陆将在未来几年成为全球最大的纯平电视机市场。