Eyeing the growing LED needs for their panels

Eyeing the growing LED needs for their panels, nearly all panel makers are participating in the LED business through new LED companies or investments in existing manufacturers. DisplaySearch analysis indicates that Nichia and Toyota Gosei will continue to dominate the market for blue and white LEDs for LCD backlights over the next three years, due to their strong patent portfolios and customer relationships. However, Samsung LED, Stanley, Citizen, Showa Denko, Seoul Semiconductor and OSRAM are targeting growth in LED backlights for LCD TVs. Finally, Taiwanese makers like Lite-On, Chi-Mei Lighting, Lighthouse and Everlight are entering the backlight market with low cost structures.

The DisplaySearch Display LEDs: Lighting Up the Display World report also reveals that LED revenues for outdoor displays will reach $1 billion in 2009 and are expected to grow to $1.5 billion in 2012. The use of LED outdoor displays in the 2008 Beijing Olympics provided international visibility, and such events will be a driving force for growth in LED outdoor displays in the coming years.

"LEDs will create new growth for the TFT LCD industry due to characteristics such as lowering power consumption, meeting green requirements, adding dimming capability, improving color performance and enabling slim and light form factors for LCD panels and applications," noted Yoshio Tamura, Vice President of DisplaySearch and the component research team leader. "On the other hand, TFT LCDs also provide new vigor to the LED industry, as they open up broader applications requiring higher quality and more advanced technology."