IHS: Demand for new display materials surges in the second half of 2015

According to IHS research, as LG Display increases the production of white organic light-emitting diode TV panels, the consumption of active matrix organic light-emitting diode materials will surge from the second half of 2015. In the first half of 2015, the WOLED organic material market size reached US$58 million, and in the second half of the year, IHS predicts that the market will surge three times to US$165 million. From 2014 to 2019, the compound annual growth rate of the WOLED organic material market is 79%.

“Although the WOLED organic materials market is still in its infancy, it will grow rapidly starting in the second half of 2015 as WOLED panel production increases,” said Kihyun Kim, senior analyst for display chemistry and materials at IHS Technology. “Since WOLED technology is mainly used in large-size AMOLED panels, especially TVs, the rapid growth of the WOLED organic materials market will lead to continued growth in the overall AMOLED materials market.”

As a leader in the WOLED panel market, LG Display began producing WOLED TV panels at its E3 line in Paju in the fourth quarter of 2012. In order to mass-produce WOLED panels, LG Display installed the eighth-generation mother glass processing technology at its E4 line in February 2014. Although this line began operation in the fourth quarter of 2014, the yield rate has been low.

However, LG Display has put the production line into full production since the second quarter of 2015. Kim said: "Most AMOLED TV panel manufacturers, especially Chinese manufacturers, are currently focusing on WOLED technology, which will promote the growth of the WOLED material market in the future."

According to the latest OLED material market tracking report published by IHS, the overall AMOLED material market, including micro-metal mask RGB OLED (FMM RGB) and WOLED types, will grow 54% year-on-year to reach US$658 million in 2015. By 2019, the AMOLED material market is expected to reach US$2 billion, with a CAGR of 37% from 2014 to 2019.