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In July 2000, Japan’s Asahi Glass announced plans for a wholly owned subsidiary in Douliu, Taiwan, to make non-alkali glass substrates for thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels. The initial project called for two glass-processing lines, with manufacturing and sales planned to start by the end of 2001. Later capacity projects at the same subsidiary were announced separately and should not be confused with the original plan.

What Asahi Glass announced in July 2000

Asahi Glass said it would establish Asahi Glass Fine Techno Taiwan Co., Ltd. in Douliu City, Yunlin County, in central Taiwan. The company was to be wholly owned by Asahi Glass and manufacture non-alkali glass substrates used in TFT-LCD panels. The announcement described the initial investment phase as setting up the local company, acquiring factory land, constructing a building and installing two glass-processing lines. Production and sales were planned to begin by the end of 2001. AGC’s July 17, 2000 announcement

Contemporaneous report added staged output estimates

A November 15, 2000 EE Times report attributed additional figures to an official from Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs: planned investment of about US$281 million, initial annual output of 150,000 square meters from October 2001, and 300,000 square meters annually at full operation. These are figures reported by EE Times from the named government source, not specifications stated in the July AGC announcement. EE Times, November 15, 2000

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How the later Taiwan capacity plans differed

Announcement Project and stated capacity Investment and timing
July 2000, Asahi Glass Initial Douliu facility; two glass-processing lines. The company release did not state an output figure. Production and sales planned by the end of 2001. Investment amount not stated in the release. AGC
November 2000, EE Times reporting a ministry official Initial annual output of 150,000 square meters from October 2001; 300,000 square meters annually at full operation. About US$281 million planned investment, as reported by EE Times. EE Times
July 2002, Asahi Glass Separate capacity program combining a new furnace at the Kansai factory with an added Taiwan polishing line; aggregate capacity of 10 million square meters annually when four furnaces were fully operating. About 17 billion yen total planned investment. The release cited expected Taiwanese panel-production growth and expected use of fifth-generation substrates as reasons for the Taiwan polishing line. AGC
June 2003, Asahi Glass A new furnace at Asahi Glass Fine Techno Taiwan in Douliu, planned for annual capacity of four million square meters. About 13 billion yen planned investment for the furnace; commercial production planned for September 2004. AGC

What the figures do—and do not—establish

The output and investment amounts are plans: the 2000 capacity and investment figures come from contemporaneous reporting attributed to a Taiwan ministry official, while the 2002 and 2003 project details come from Asahi Glass releases. They do not establish when construction was completed or what production the facilities ultimately achieved. In particular, the four-million-square-meter annual figure belongs to the later 2003 furnace project, not the initial two-line plant plan announced in 2000.

Quick Recap

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Hosyond 3.5 Inch 480x320 Touch Screen TFT LCD SPI Display Panel for Raspberry Pi B, B+, 2B, 3B, 3B+,4B, 5
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