Amid the wave of digitalization and intellectualization, the market landscape of global display industry has been reshaped with most production capacities concentrating on Chinese market. Among the key players worldwide, TCL CSOT has burgeoned into one of the bellwethers in the arena of next-generation display technologies. The company has a proved track record in marketing, exemplified by a group of data collected by 3Q23 as follows:

• 8K high-end TV panels have secured the 1st place globally.
• In the field of commercial displays, TCL CSOT ranks 2nd in global shipments.
• In the high-end e-sports products segment, TCL CSOT maintains the leading market share globally.
• The shipments of LTPS laptop panels ranked 2nd globally.
• LTPS tablet PC panels secured the 2nd place worldwide.
• The shipments of LTPS vehicle-mounted panels and LTPS mobile phone panels came 5th and 3rd globally respectively.

Here comes the question: how does TCL CSOT distinguish itself in next-generation display industry?

TCL CSOT’s All-Round Strengths

Following a thorough factory tour of TCL CSOT, LEDinside, a brand of TrendForce, got the answers. The company’s achievements are tied to three aspects: technical competence, sufficient production capacity, and highly-efficient cost management.

Technical competence: TCL CSOT boasts a broad range of state-of-the-art display technologies, encompassing Mini/Micro LED, FMM-OLED, IJP (Ink-jet Printing) OLED, etc, and it has been zeroing in on low-carbon, energy-saving and eye-care products based on these technologies with the hope of driving a sustainable and connected future with innovative technologies.

Take Mini/Micro LED technologies for example. TCL CSOT introduced that it takes a two-step approach, with one focusing on Mini LED backlight technology and the other on MLED self-emissive technologies.

For Mini LED backlight technology, TCL CSOT has recently achieved the industrialization of the combination of Mini LED backlight and LCD technology and developed the AM Mini LED backlight based on LTPS, which features better performance and cost advantages in ultra-high zone number.

For Mini LED and Micro LED technologies technology, TCL CSOT adopts the technical route of combining AM MLED display and LTPS backplane technologies, enabling ultra-high brightness and extremely small pitch, in line with higher market demands. Given the thriving development of vehicle and wearable displays, TCL CSOT will probably channel more efforts to realize the mass production of AM MLED display technology based on LTPS backplane for products in these fields.

Notably, in the field of Micro LED where cutting-edge technologies, sophisticated processes and efficient cost management capability are required, TCL CSOT has had the foresight to cooperate with its upstream partners amidst the megatrend of integrated industrial value chain.

For instance, TCL CSOT works together with San’an in accelerating the commercialization and marketization process of Micro LED technology. It’s learned that the cooperation between the two parties has gradually yielded results, and they will fully expand their business in this field, covering materials, techniques, equipment, production line, intellectual property, and the establishment of a total solution for Micro LED commercial scale mass production.

Production capacity: In reaction to the increasing demands for next-generation display products, TCL CSOT progressively set up new lines to expand production. The company currently operates 9 panel production lines and 5 module bases, and each factory maintains stable production capacity.

Among the production lines, 8.5th generation new TV production line, know as “TCL CSOT Shenzhen t2 Project”, is the most efficient, innovative and environmentally friendly 8.5th generation production line, which is capable of generating 155,000 panels per month. TCL COST Shenzhen also runs the 8.5th TV panel production line ( t1 Project ), the first domestic LCD panel production line built entirely through independent innovation, with a monthly capacity of 160,000 panels.

Of all the products rolled out from TCL CSOT Shenzhen production lines, the 75-inch MLED Starlight display panel integrating over 20,000 Mini LED chips is the most striking achievement, so to speak. It delivers not only a remarkable display performance that matches self-emissive products but also a more competitive cost advantage, setting a benchmark for the Mini LED backlight industry.

When it comes to the latest emerging technologies, 8.6th generation oxide new display production line, known as the "TCL CSOT Guangzhou t9 Project," catches the spotlight. With an impressive capacity of 180,000 display panels per month, t9 Project is the only high-generation panel production line in the world that is compatible for the production of LCD, Micro LED and IJP OLED.

With the construction of t9 project being in high gear, TCL CSOT commenced large-scale production and customer delivery at this production line in April 2023. Moreover, the company newly unveiled two new products from this plant, integrating TCL CSOT's independently developed HFS technology, which addresses the market's strong demand for low-power display technology.

Cost management: TCL CSOT also stands out in bringing down production costs. Aside from delivering products with greater material utilization efficiency and lower production costs, TCL CSOT has achieved full-process automation in production execution, addressing the final stages of the production chain. This enables full-stack automation of TFT production process, reducing human errors, and enhancing production efficiency and quality. Other approaches are also at play in this aspect, like the application of 5G+AR remote collaborative guidance in factories.

As a part of the TCL COST Shenzhen factory tour, the manufacturing factory visit gave a direct impression of how intelligent and automatic the process is. The processes from the yellow light zone, glass handling zone to the white light zone are efficiently collaborative. Such a clean, high-tech, precise and smart factory allows TCL CSOT Shenzhen to maximize production efficiency while minimizing cost.

Overall, TCL CSOT is well-positioned to embrace new opportunities and quickly response to new demands from the emerging and ever-changing markets.
 

Lifelong Mission to Empower a Greener Planet

Far beyond a profit-driven enterprise, TCL CSOT aims to be a contributor to the whole society. As an integral part of TCLGreen campaign, the company has been committed to establishing a greener planet for the benefit of all human beings, from green industry, green manufacturing, green products, to green values and culture.

The implementation of renewable energy and pure recycling water systems can be regarded as a typical example for the TCLGreen deeds.

In 2022, TCL CSOT has been actively generating clean energy through distributed rooftop PV solar systems with an installed capacity of 81MW. The Shenzhen CSOT factory that LEDinside visited installed a total capacity of 3.83 MW of rooftop PV solar systems, with an annual power generation capacity of 4 million kWh. The current total capacity of PV systems at the base has reached 48 MW, capable of generating 50 million kWh of electricity per year. Noticeably, the project was awarded the title of "Smart PV Demonstration Project".

In terms of water recycle, the Shenzhen CSOT factory recovers a total of 34.6 million cubic meters of pure water per year and saves approximately USD 23.9 million in tap water costs by introducing a pure water recycling system, which recycle the pure water used for post-production cleaning, with the recovery rate of pure water reaching over 75%.

Green endeavors can also find expression in the company’s green value and culture. With the concept of a paperless office, TCL CSOT has transitioned 83 processes within the company to this digital approach to date. And in 2022, the company saved paper to the tune of 2.68 million sheets annually through its paperless checkpoint system.
By facilitating green education and awareness within the company, TCL CSOT promises that it will always on its way to conduct green practices.


Summary
Both business achievements and environmental-friendly accomplishments are a testaments to TCL CSOT’s leading market and social positions. Down the road, TCL CSOT will continue to empower a more advanced, connected and healthy future with “display everywhere”.
( Author: Janice Chan / LEDinside of TrendForce)