China's Shen-Chao Optronics (transliterated from Chinese) is now establishing a fifth-generation (5G) plant in Shenzhen, China with equipment installation scheduled for April 2008.

The new 5G plant will begin operations by the end of 2008 with a designed monthly capacity of 90,000 substrates, added the sources. The initial monthly capacity will only be 60,000 substrates, said LCD equipment makers, adding that the China LCD maker will being purchasing equipment starting from June. The new plant's 5G glass substrates are 1,200×1,300mm in size, noted the sources.

The China panel maker is being supported by a leading Taiwan-based OEM/ODM maker, indicated rumors, which state that the new 5G plant will focus mainly on LCD monitor panel production.

Hsiang-Kuei Chung, a former vice president of the CRT business of Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) will be the head for the China-based maker.

Although rumors say that Shen-Chao Optronics will build one more 5G plant, one 6G and one 7.5G plant in the future, equipment makers said the panel maker's next-generation plant construction plans have not been determined and that the plans will depend on how its first 5G plant works.

Shen-Chao Optronics is also recruiting workforce from Taiwan-based LCD makers with many former staff at Quanta Display planning to join Shen-Chao Optronics.

China 5G LCD lines
Companies	Location	Substrate size (mm)	Monthly capacity (k units)
Shanghai SVA-NEC Liquid Crystal Display (SVA-NEC)	Shanghai	1,100×1,300	90
BOE Optoelectronics Technology (BOE OT)	Beijing	1,100×1,300	80
Info Vision Optronics (IVO)	Kunshan	1,100×1,300	30
Shen-Chao Optronics	Shenzhen	1,200×1,300	90

Source:佚名