Taiwan's shipments of large-size panels in 9-inch and above sizes (excluding Sharp's) are expected to grow 12.9% sequentially in the second quarter 2020 thanks to capacity resumption at backend LCD module lines run by Taiwanese panel makers in China, orders deferred from the previous quarter and a surge in demand for remote work and learning applications, according to Digitimes Research.
Taiwan's large-size panel shipments came to 47.69 million units in the first quarter of 2019, decreasing 19.3% sequentially and 12.3% on year, as related makers' LCM production in China were disrupted by coronavirus-induced shortages in labor, raw materials and packaging materials, as well as weakened demand, Digitimes Research figures show.
Panel demand for notebook and over 9-inch tablet applications will be the main growth driver for large-size panel shipments in the second quarter, followed by those for monitor applications (including AIO PCs).
As many production lines of TV brands or ODMs in Mexico, Brazil and other places have been fully or partly suspended in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Digitimes Research believes that panel demand from the LCD TV segment will lag behind those from the notebook, tablet and monitor sectors in the second quarter.
From the supply side, China's BOE Technology, China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) and CED-Panda LCD Technology are expected to ramp up their shipments of IT panels to mitigate the impact resulted from reduced TV panel shipments.
In Korea, LG Display will also enhance its presence in the IT panel sector as it is reducing its output of TV panels. Samsung Display is also expected to slow down the pace of its exit from the LCD panel market in order to cope with a surge in demand for IT applications.
