According to a report from Huangpu's official WeChat account on the evening of September 1st, the Phase I project of TCL CSOT's 8.6th generation printed OLED production line has officially been established at Room 101, First Floor, R&D Building, No. 36 Hetong Second Road, Yonghe Street, Huangpu District, Guangzhou. The project has a total investment of 29.5 billion yuan, covering a total land area of approximately 551,181 square meters and a total construction area of approximately 935,950.42 square meters. The project encompasses production facilities, module factories, power stations, wastewater treatment plants, specialty gas buildings, and other structures.
The project is planned to produce small and medium-sized high-value-added products, specifically including professional displays for IT screens, automotive displays, medical, industrial control, aviation and other fields, as well as commercial display panels, with supporting module factory construction.
From a corporate perspective, according to Tianyancha business information, Guangzhou CSOT Printing Display Technology Co., Ltd. was officially established on August 11th, with Zhao Jun as the legal representative and a registered capital of 1 billion yuan. Through equity penetration analysis, the company is wholly owned by TCL CSOT Technology Co., Ltd. under TCL Technology, meaning TCL CSOT has complete control over this printed OLED project, providing solid capital and technical support for project advancement.
**Development History of TCL CSOT's Printed OLED Technology**
**Early Exploration and Technical Verification (2013-2017)** In 2013, TCL CSOT selected printed OLED as its technology route for medium and large-size OLED screens. In 2014, in collaboration with TEL and using printing equipment developed by Epson, the company successfully created and lit up a 31-inch OLED screen sample, initially validating the feasibility of printed OLED technology. In 2015, TCL invested in printed OLED equipment company Kateeva and began building a 4.5th generation printed OLED experimental production line. In 2017, the company successfully developed a 31-inch transparent printed OLED screen, further strengthening its exploration confidence.
**Difficult Choices and Determined Progress (2013-2019)** After LG Display launched 55-inch OLED screens using evaporation technology in 2013, TCL CSOT's internal research team split into red and blue armies, simultaneously pursuing both "white OLED" solutions and printed OLED technology. As research deepened and considering the industry's capital concentration requiring massive investment, TCL CSOT ultimately chose printed OLED because it was not constrained by industry leaders' patents and supply chains, showing tremendous potential.
**Mass Production Preparation Challenges (2019-2023)** In 2019, TCL CSOT's small-size OLED screen production line t4 entered mass production, and the OLED R&D center shifted focus to preparing printed OLED processes for mass production. However, the company faced technical bottlenecks, resource shortages, and incomplete supply chains, including few suppliers, difficult price negotiations, and unstable product quality. TCL CSOT proposed using inorganic anode materials, which alleviated film formation uniformity issues.
To solve mass production challenges, in April 2020, the company partnered with JOLED, investing 2 billion yuan and using JOLED's production line as a pilot line. In May 2022, TCL finally produced a functional 65-inch screen. In March 2023, after JOLED's bankruptcy, TCL CSOT purchased its printing equipment and built its own production line.
**Mass Production Breakthrough and Future Plans (2024 - Present)** On November 16, 2024, the first printed OLED screen entered mass production stage, with the first mass-produced product being a 21.6-inch 4K display for medical equipment. In the future, TCL CSOT plans to use the current production line to manufacture consumer-facing products such as laptops, tablets, and monitors, while continuing to drive technological upgrades and expand application areas.
**Conclusion** The establishment of TCL CSOT's 8.6th generation printed OLED production line Phase I project represents a major achievement from years of deep cultivation in the printed OLED field. From early exploration to current mass production breakthroughs, TCL CSOT has overcome numerous challenges through determined technology route selection and continuous innovation investment, securing an important position in global display technology competition. As this project advances, it will not only further enrich TCL CSOT's product portfolio and drive expansion in the small and medium-sized high-value-added product market, but also promote synergistic development of related industrial chains, injecting new vitality into the display industry.