Sanyo Electric Co Ltd will enter the LCD (liquid crystal display) rear-projection television market in China, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun learned yesterday.
The firm has spent 1 billion yen to build necessary facilities at a local subsidiary, such as clean room facilities. Production of 45- and 55-inch models has already begun, with Chinese marketing to begin as soon as May. Sanyo expects demand not only from households, but also from such businesses as hotels and restaurants.
Electrical machinery manufacturers have bolstered rear-projection TV operations, given their status as a relatively inexpensive third option among flat-panel models. Sanyo has expertise in the optical technology central to rear-projection models and will emphasize the high picture quality of its products.
Using the same facility, Sanyo will also begin production of LCD projectors. Monthly output, initially 3,000 units, will be raised to 10,000 during fiscal 2004. Combined production with an Osaka plant is estimated to reach about 320,000 units this fiscal year, up 15% on the year.
Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun
