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Fujifilm Starts Full Operation of the New Plant for WV (wide-view) Film for Liquid Crystal Displays


WEBWIRE

Addressing surging LCD TV demand in emerging economies

FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO: Shigetaka Komori; hereafter “Fujifilm”) will start full operation of plant No.9 for WV (wide-view) Film, which widens viewing angles of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in early July 2009. The new plant will be located on the compound of Fujifilm Opt Materials Co., Ltd., one of the main production bases for flat panel display materials.

The LCD market came under the severe impact of the global economic slowdown that started last autumn, and suffered stagnant demand for finished products, panels and materials. However, the resurgence of demand for LCD TVs in industrialized nations and expanded demand for them in emerging economies since this spring have helped rapidly restore demand for Fujifilm’s flat panel display materials. In China in particular, the government policy to subsidize consumers in farming communities for purchasing home electrical appliances, has boosted demand for medium-sized TVs with the screen size of 20 to under 30 inches. This, in turn, has surged demand for WV Film, used in these TV sets.

In response, Fujifilm has decided to start full operation of the new WV Film plant in July to reinforce the product’s production capacity and ensure stable supply.

WV Film is characterized for its ability to dramatically expand viewing angles of LCDs at low costs, and has established itself as the de-facto standard in viewing-angle widening film for LCDs. The new plant is equipped with latest facilities to cater to TVs with higher contrast and brightness specifications, thereby enabling further improvement in WV Film’s optical performance.

Fujifilm has been expanding the flat panel display materials business with distinctive products that incorporate the company’s proprietary technologies, such as: FUJITAC*1, indispensable material for polarizers; CV film*2, which has strong antireflective effects for the surfaces of LCD panels; color filter materials called Transer*3; and Color Mosaic*4.

Fujifilm will continue to aggressively pursue research and development of new technologies, contribute to stable supply of flat panel display materials, and fulfill its role as a leading company in flat panel display materials to contribute to the advancement of the industry.

* *1 FUJITAC: Made from cellulose triacetate (TAC), FUJITAC has superior optical qualities and is used as a protective film for polarizers used in LCDs.
* *2 CV film: An antireflective film for LCD panel surfaces. Its characteristics include low reflectivity, high precision, and high resistance to dust and dirt.
* *3 Transer: A film used to produce color filters for LCDs. A color LCD panel is created by transferring red, green, blue, and black color layers from this film to the glass board using the dry lamination technique. It is optimal to use when manufacturing large LCD panels.
* *4 Color Mosaic: Color resists for LCD color filters. It is suitable for every type of LCD including transparent, trans-flective, and reflective. The wide range of functional materials includes primary colors, complementary colors, and photo spacers to control LC cell gaps.

Overview of Plant No.9 for WV Film (new plant)

Location:
On the compound of Fujifilm Opt Materials Co., Ltd. in Yoshida-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Investment:
6.2 billion yen
Operation commencement:
July 2009
Building area:
Approx. 2,400 square meters
Total floor area:
Approx. 7,000 square meters



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