Merck KGaA Opens Liquid Crystal Technical Center in Korea
Merck's Second Location in Asia to Offer Local R&D, Production and Supply Services for liquid crystals
Darmstadt, Germany, and Seoul, South Korea - Merck KGaA announced today that its South Korean subsidiary, Merck Advanced Technologies Ltd. (MAT), officially opened its new state-of-the-art, EUR 10 million Liquid Crystal Technical Center in the Poseung Industrial Park, Pyongtaek-shi, Gyonggi-do, an hour's drive south of Seoul.
The Liquid Crystal Technical Center develops and manufactures Liquid Crystal (LC) mixtures, a crucial component of Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), and is the first LC manufacturing center in Korea. Merck also offers similar services at its LC Center in Japan. The Korean Center will have an initial capacity of 32 tons per year and has been designed for future expansion. The 6,500-square-meter facility is equipped with the most advanced technology and by the beginning of next year will employ 50 people who have extensive training in LC manufacturing processes, quality control and R&D.
As Korea is the home of the leading manufacturers of Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCDs for notebooks and PC and TV monitors, Merck determined to be closer to customers to ensure optimum communications, stable supplies and top service. To further strengthen the focus of the company's LC activities, Merck Advanced Technologies Ltd. was established in 2002 to operate the Liquid Crystal Technical Center.
Merck already is supplying LC mixtures to leading TFT-LCD manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics, LG Phillips and Hydis. Together, these three Korean companies have more than a 40% share of the global TFT-LCD market. Merck is the world's leading manufacturer of Liquid Crystals, with sales of EUR 276 million in 2001. It also offers coated glass and ultra-pure process and functional chemicals to the LCD industry.
"There is no doubt that the worldwide demand for notebooks and mobile telephones using TFT-LCDs in steadily increasing and that the popularity of PC and TV monitors equipped with large LC displays is leading the dynamic development of the LC market," said Werner Pfeifer, Merck's General Manager in Korea. He pointed out that Merck has unique LCs that provide a wide viewing angle, fast response speed and the high brightness needed for advanced PC and TV monitor applications.
"As Korea is the leader in these fields, it is only natural that the leading and most innovative LC maker would also be here," said Thomas Jacob, manager of the Liquid Crystal Technical Center. The Government of Korea sees this investment of Merck as a significant contribution to the development of high technology in Korea. The completion of the project within only 12 months was possible due to the professional and quick approval procedures of Government and Gyonggi-do authorities as well as Pyongtaek-shi.
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