The next generation
The Nikkei business daily has reported that the joint venture between Sony and Sharp to build a next-generation LCD production facility, first proposed in February 2008, may now be close to becoming a reality.
The joint venture involves Sony investing up to 100 billion yen, which is around a billion dollars in today's money, in a Sharp plant in Sakai, western Japan, which is expected to cost a total of 380 billion yen. Sony seems to be getting a good deal with a reported 34 percent stake in the joint venture.
It looks like the two companies expect to finalise the deal at the end of July, with the global recession listed as one of the reasons it has all taken so long. The two companies themselves have yet to make any formal announcements.
The Sakai plant is expected to be the first manufacturing facility to be devoted entirely to tenth generation LCD substrate, which is bigger and thus more cost-effective.
