OSAKA, Oct. 4 (Kyodo) — Sharp Corp. plans to drastically reduce production of liquid crystal display panels for televisions at its plant in Mie Prefecture and shift the focus to producing LCD panels for smartphones, the company's restructuring plan showed Wednesday.
The struggling electronics maker intends to end production at the Kameyama plant of 32-inch LCD panels for home-use TVs around 2014, as prices for such TVs have plunged amid intense competition with South Korean rivals, according to the restructuring plan obtained by Kyodo News.
Televisions produced at the plant are known as the "Kameyama models" in Japan, with many consumers praising them for their quality. The 32-inch model is a popular TV size in Japan.
LCD panel production for TVs at the plant will be limited to panels for ultra-large TVs, according to the plan.
Sharp aims to increase the factory utilization rate at the plant, where the company produces LDC panels for Apple Inc.'s iPhone 5, to near full capacity in the near future.
