https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20171109VL202.html
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BOE to compete with Foxconn for stake in JDI, says report
Steve Shen, DIGITIMES, Taipei [Thursday 9 November 2017]
China-based flat panel maker BOE Technology is likely to compete with Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai) in a race to acquire a part of the money-losing Japan Display (JDI), according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News report.
BOE chairman Wang Dongshen has personally revealed that BOE is willing to provide assistance to JDI for its reconstruction project, said the report, citing media report in Japan.
JDI said earlier that it will need to raise funds of as high as JPY200 billion (US$1.757 billion) in order to accelerate its OLED plans and prepare for mass production in 2019, and therefore is looking for companies interested in providing assistance and funding.
Dai Cheng-wu, president of Sharp, now an affiliate company of the Foxconn Group, said in mid-August that Sharp is willing to extend a helping hand to JDI, hoping to form a joint team to develop LCD products in Japan, while also safeguarding JDI's patented technology.
Under the assistance of Sharp, JDI will be able to swing back to profitability, Dai stated.
The Foxconn/Sharp team has an advantage over BOE as Foxconn is currently the largest production partner for Apple, and JDI is a major supplier of LTPS smartphone panels to Apple, said the report.
Establishing a partnership with Foxconn may help JDI land OLED panel orders from Apple if its OLED development plans are materialized, the report noted.
On the other hand, BOE is eager to build up its OLED panel manufacturing technology in a bid to also winning OLED panel orders from Apple. BOE is currently the largest flat panel maker in China with strong government support.