作为世界著名的纯平显示器制造商，韩国三星电子有限公司9月5日表示，将会投资17.2亿美元，打造第3条高科技液晶显示器生产线，以满足日益增长的电脑显示器和电视市场需求。

    据路透社9月5日报道，此条生产线将会使用最新的第7代生产线技术，预计将会于明年下半年正式投入大规模生产。该工厂将位于韩国首府汉城的南部，位置靠近三星与索尼公司的合资液晶生产线。

    从公司影响力分析，三星无疑称得上是这一领域的佼佼者。随着大屏幕显示器市场的逐渐成熟，三星公司意识到，必须依靠大量的投资从异常激烈的市场竞争中脱颖而出。去年，三星公司发布了第2条第7代液晶显示器生产线建立计划，该生产线预计将会于明年4月正式投产。

    三星公司加大对于液晶显示器产品研发力度的行为并不是毫无原因的，据业界分析家预计，鉴于市场需求量的飞速增长，今年第3季度中液晶显示器价格将会得以攀升。据市场调查机构DisplaySearch上周表示，今年第3季度中液晶显示器产品的出货量将比上季度增长8％，而价格方面将仍然保持当前的坚挺状态，在刚刚过去的第2季度中，全球液晶市场已经显现出抬头的趋势，在连续经历了3个季度的售价下滑后，取得了2％的价格提升。

    与此同时，三星公司还表示，计划在明年开始建立全新的第8代液晶显示器生产线，主要针对尺寸更大的显示器产品。

    South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the world's top flat screen maker, said on Monday it would spend $1.72 billion of its investment plan for a third production line to meet expected rising demand for computer and television screens.

    Samsung, the most valuable technology firm outside the United States, is spending aggressively in an effort to keep an edge over rivals as it bets on explosive demand growth for large-sized panels.

    The latest investment is part of Samsung's previously announced plan to spend some $20 billion over the next decade to boost LCD capacity.

    Samsung, which currently operates one so-called seventh-generation (7G) LCD line, said last year it planned to build a second line that it would be operational from next April.

    In a statement filed on Monday with the stock exchange, Samsung said it plans to spend 1.76 trillion won to build a third 7G line that should begin mass production in the second half of 2006.

    The costs will be included in next year's budget, a spokesman said.

    The move comes as industry analysts forecast prices will rise in the third quarter as shipments of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are increased to keep up with demand.

    Samsung's production lines will be located next to its LCD production joint venture with Japan's Sony Corp. in Asan, south of Seoul.

    "The investment is aimed at boosting the output of LCDs for televisions and computer monitors," Samsung said in its statement.

    Research firm DisplaySearch said last week that LCD shipments would rise 8 percent in the third quarter from the previous quarter and that average prices would remain firm after a 2 percent rise in the second quarter, which ended three quarters of declining prices.

    The 7G line will use 1.87-by-2.2 meter mother-glasses to cut panels, Samsung had said.

    Bigger glass enables LCD makers to yield more panels from a single plate, reducing manufacturing costs.

    The company has announced that is already planning to build an eighth-generation (8G) line next year, using an even bigger 2.16-by-2.4 meter mother-glass.