Samsung Display has been out of the LCD business for a couple of years now. Despite being a significant player in the industry for many years, increased competition from Chinese display makers and an increased focus on more advanced display technologies made the decision inevitable.
The company has since been selling off its LCD production equipment since there's no use in holding on to it anymore. Korean media is reporting that Samsung is now selling more of its Gen 8 LCD equipment.
LCDs no longer a concern for Samsung Display
Selling the equipment has freed up space at its production facilities which has since been better utilized for the production of advanced displays. For example, Samsung's L8 factory previously had four LCD production lines, one of which is now used to produce Gen 8 QD-OLED panels for TVs and monitors.
Another production line is being converted and will be used to manufacture Gen 8 IT OLED panels. Samsung is now selling equipment at two of the unused lines at this plant as they're no longer being used to make LCD panels.
However, no new equipment has been installed at these lines so far, making it unclear if or when these production lines will be refitted with new equipment for manufacturing latest display technologies. Samsung has already sold its LCD plant in Suzhou, China, to local display maker CSOT.
Whether Samsung finds enough demand for its Gen 8 LCD equipment is another matter entirely. Chinese display makers are already using Gen 10 LCD lines which are more cost effective, so they have little reason to pick up Samsung's equipment. It's likely that some existing manufacturers could seek to acquire this from Samsung to replace some of their current equipment.
