Samsung, LG Philips to cooperate

Two biggest companies in the global cathode ray tube display market, Samsung SDI Co. and LG Philips Displays, have decided to work together on standardizing product sizes and sharing components. A Samsung SDI spokesman explained that not only can they save on costs by standardizing parts, but they will also no longer need to negotiate with individual television set companies over product sizes. The two companies agreed to standardize the size of components for the 17-inch Braun tube monitor by the end of this year and to share parts for the slim 29-inch Braun tube televisions. Hankuk Electric Glass Co., which currently produces funnel glasses for the slim 21-inch Braun tube for LG Philips Displays, will also supply Samsung SDI. Samsung SDI and LG Philips Displays are planning to expand cooperation in other areas but will exclude core technologies. Early last year, the two companies agreed to develop the Braun tube together and share components in order to compete against liquid crystal display televisions. But the cooperation soon gave way to rivalry, as the two display giants raced to be the first to release the slim 32-inch Braun tube. by Lee Hyun-sang, Park Sung-ha