BOE, Tianma, TCL see strong profits in 2021
China-based display panel makers BOE Technology and Tianma Microelectronics as well as TV vendor TCL enjoyed handsome profits for 2021, according to Chinese media reports.
BOE posted consolidated revenues of CNY219.442 billion (US$34.57 billion) and net profit of CNY25.826 billion for 2021, increasing 61.89% and 412.86% respectively on year. The profit was a company record.
Tianma's 2021 consolidated revenues reached CNY31.829 billion, up 8.88% on year, with net profit of CNY1.542 billion, rising 4.61%.
TCL recorded consolidated revenues of CNY163.53 billion in 2021, hiking 112.8% on year, and net profit reahced CNY10.06 billion, a record high with on-year growth of 129.3%.
Tianma's existing panel lines and those under construction include 2G to 6G a-Si, TN, STN and LTPS LCD lines, and 5.5G and 6G AMOLED lines.
TCL's subsidiary China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) is a maker of display panels. CSOT will invest CNT15 billion to expand production capacity at its 6G LTPS LCD fab, with the expansion having already started in January 2022 and to be completed in June 2023. The additional production capacity will focus on small- to medium-size LCD panels for high-end notebooks, automotive displays and VR/AR devices.
Chinese carmakers developing auto chips
Chinese carmakers have begun deploying resources in semiconductor development, as chip shortage continues to haunt the automotive industry.
Chinese carmakers still rely heavily on imports of car chips, but they are now moving to build their own local semiconductor supply chain.
Leap Motor and Dahua Technology have partnered up since 2018 to create AI autonomous driving chips for Leap's electric vehicles. As of February 2022, Leap has reported 11 consecutive months of over-200% year-on-year growth in car deliveries. For February, car deliveries increased by 447% on-year.
BYD has successfully expanded its expertise from carmaking to manufacturing of batteries, motors and control units - the three vital parts of an electric vehicle (EV). BYD Semiconductor, its spinoff unit, has been a supplier of XPeng and Yutong Bus.
NIO and XPeng have also aimed at semiconductor development.
Disrupted by the shortage of semiconductors, global car production has dropped sharply this year, according to AutoForecast Solutions.
However, the shortage of car chips is at present more pressing than localizing IC supply chain and improving self-sufficiency, said Wang Fengying, vice cairman at Great Wall Motors.
