EMS provider Foxconn Electronics will set up a 6G LTPS (low-temperature poly-Si) TFT-LCD panel fab in Guiyang City, southwestern China, to mainly produce smartphone-use 5.2-, 5.5- and 6.0-inch panels, according to industry sources.

The fab officially belongs to a company newly founded by China-based panel maker Century Technology (Shenzhen) and a foundation of Quiyang City government, with the former owning a 24% stake and the latter 76%, the sources said. Century is a joint venture between Foxconn and Shenzhen government in southern China.

With planned investment of CNY30 billion (US$4.65 billion) and designed monthly production capacity of 40,000 substrates, the fab was originally scheduled to begin construction in December 2015 and ramp up production in December 2017, the sources indicated. However, the start of the construction will possibly be delayed, the sources noted.

To meet strong demand for panels needed in OEM/ODM production of smartphones and tablets, Foxconn is also setting up a 6G LTPS LCD fab in southern Taiwan jointly with Innolux, of which Foxconn is a main shareholder. Foxconn will set up another in Chengzhou City, northern China, the sources indicated.

The new Taiwan fab will start volume production in first-half 2016 and the Chengzhou plant will begin trial production in November 2017 and volume production in 2018, the sources said.