China steps up pace of Mini/Micro LED commercialisation

Since 2019, total investments in Mini/Micro LED-related projects in China have reached ¥39.1 billion (RMB), with more than 14 newly added projects, according to TrendForce’s investigations. This massive influx of capital is expected to accelerate the overall pace of Mini/Micro LED commercialisation, TrendForce’s latest LED Industry Demand and Supply Data Base finds TrendForce analyst Allen Yu indicates that, given the recent delays in Mini LED commercialisation this year, some manufacturers are likely to push back their original plans of ramping up Mini LED TV and monitor mass production in mid-2020. On the other hand, since Micro LED is still in the R&D stage for most manufacturers, the technology has a long way to go before it is ready for commercial use. Nevertheless, investors are still relatively hopeful towards the future of Mini/Micro LED. For instance, LED chip and packaging suppliers, such as San’an Optoelectronics, Epistar, HC Semitek, Nationstar, and Refond, as well as video wall and panel manufacturers, such as Leyard, Unilumin, TCL CSOT, and BOE, have all launched Mini/Micro LED-related projects in an effort to drive the industry forward. In July 2019, San’an Optoelectronics commenced its Mini/Micro LED wafer and chip development and production project in Ezhou, Hubei. This project is mostly aimed at developing new Mini/Micro LED displays and projected to involve RMB 12 billion worth of investment capital. In December 2019, Leyard and Epistar jointly invested RMB 1 billion to set up a Mini/Micro LED production center in Wuxi, Jiangsu. Also, in May 2020, MTC established its headquarters and its LED packaging facilities in the Qingshanhu District of Nanchang, Jiangxi. MTC is expected to build 5,000 production lines for LED packaging operations, which include Mini/Micro LED packaging, with an investment totalling RMB 7 billion. TrendForce believes that the participation of the above companies in Mini/Micro LED R&D will inject a corresponding influx of capital in all aspects of Mini/Micro LED technology development, including new equipment, materials, and manufacturing technologies, with these investment efforts resulting in the maturation of the related supply chain as well.