Chinese companies playing catch-up in realm of displays

Chinese display makers narrowed their market gap with Korean companies in the second quarter, a report showed yesterday, raising concerns China may threaten the long-time dominance of local players. The combined market share of display makers based in China reached 10.4 percent in the April-June period, compared with 8.2 percent three months earlier, according to the report by DisplaySearch, a global market research firm.

The figure marks the first time the Chinese market share has surpassed the 10 percent level.

In the three-month period, Korean display makers reaped a combined share of 50.8 percent, down from a record 54.7 percent stake in the previous quarter.

Korea, which became the world’s top maker of displays in the fourth quarter of 2008, has been widening the gap with Taiwanese rivals.

The latter saw their share come in at 34.4 percent, while Japanese display makers controlled 4.4 percent of the market, according to the report.

The report projected Chinese display makers would eat into the local players’ stake as Chinese manufacturers ramp up investment under government support.

Chinese display makers’ stake in the liquid crystal display sector is expected to more than double to 21 percent in the first quarter of 2015, while that of Korean players is likely to fall to roughly 41 percent.

The stake held by Taiwanese companies is also expected to fall to the 28 percent level, according to DisplaySearch.

Yonhap