TCL CSOT Establishes Investment Plan for 8.6-Generation Inkjet Printing OLED Line Worth RMB 20 Billion

Monthly Production Capacity of 45K; Equipment Installation Targeted for End of 2026

According to UBI Research’s China Market Trend Report, Chinese display company TCL CSOT (China Star Optoelectronics Technology) is planning to construct a new 8.6-generation (2290x2620mm) OLED line at the T8 site near its existing T9 OLED line in Guangzhou. This investment will be based on inkjet printing technology, with a Step 1 investment fund scale of approximately RMB 20 billion (approximately KRW 3.8 trillion).

The T8 site was initially intended to be converted for a solar project, but that plan has been put on hold, and the site will now be used for its originally planned OLED production line. The T8 project is designed to consist of two 8.6G OLED lines with a total monthly production capacity of 45,000 substrates (45K), and the initial investment will be made for one line.

The investment schedule for the T8 line includes an official announcement in July 2025, groundbreaking in October, and the start of equipment installation by the end of 2026. The general manager of the project has been appointed as Linpei (林佩), and the core inkjet process technology is being led by a Korean expert.

Inkjet printing technology is known for its approximately 30% lower equipment investment cost compared to the traditional mask-based deposition method. For example, Samsung Display is investing around KRW 4 trillion to build an 8.6-generation OLED line for IT applications (15K per month) at its A6 site in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, based on the conventional deposition process. In contrast, TCL CSOT plans to adopt inkjet printing technology to secure a monthly production capacity of 45K at the 8.6-generation level, with an initial investment of RMB 20 billion.

Han Changwook, Executive Vice President of UBI Research, commented, “Inkjet OLED still faces technological challenges in brightness, lifespan, large-area uniformity, and yield. Nevertheless, China is positioning this differentiated technology from traditional deposition as a next-generation growth driver and, under strategic government support, is preparing for full-scale mass production. Through investments in inkjet technology by TCL CSOT and ViP (Visionox intelligent Pixelization) by Visionox, China is pushing ahead with the first mass production of large-area OLEDs, aiming to secure technological leadership.”

As demand for IT displays is expected to grow, it remains to be seen whether the commercialization of inkjet technology in large-area OLEDs will determine future market leadership.

Changwook HAN, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

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