Osaka –
Sharp has ceased production of large liquid crystal display panels (LCD) for television sets at its Sakai plant in Osaka Prefecture, putting a symbolic end to a product line long viewed as key to the company’s identity.
The Japanese electronics company, now owned by a Taiwanese investor, has also scaled back its production capacity for small and medium-sized LCD panels used in smartphones and personal computers.
At its peak, Sharp’s LCD division recorded sales of ¥991 billion in the business year to March 2014. The company’s heavy investment in the Sakai plant ultimately backfired, however, significantly straining its financial health.