As India’s demand for flat-screen TVs takes off, Taiwan suppliers enter potentially huge market

TAIPEI, TAIWAN: India’s demand for flat-screen televisions is likely to take off as consumers with more disposable income upgrade to the sleek new TV technology that saves energy and space and is the perfect complement to a modern home.

“Liquid-crystal display (LCD) TV revenue in India will exceed that of cathode ray tube (CRT) TV starting in 2011,” according to Riddhi Patel, director of television systems and retail services for market research firm iSuppli. “LCD-TV shipments will catch up the year after, exceeding those of CRT TVs starting in 2012.”

LCD-TV revenue will rise by 94.3 percent to $3.5 billion in 2011 from $1.8 billion in 2010, according to iSuppli.

Already, Taiwanese brands such as BenQ are offering LCD TVs in India. Taiwan makes nearly half of the world’s LCD screens that are used in televisions, computer monitors and other types of displays.

In addition to BenQ, Taiwan has other LCD TV companies such as Amtran Technology, which manufactures flat-screen TVs for a number of brands including Vizio, one of the top-three flat-screen TV brands in the US.

Taiwan has more than five companies making LCD panels, including Chimei Innolux Corp., AU Optoelectronics Corp., Chunghwa Picture Tubes and Hannstar Display Corp. and PrimeView International. Chimei and Hannstar have established the Chimei and Hannspree LCD TV brands.

Prime View International is the world’s largest supplier of ePaper display modules that are used in electronic readers such as the Kindle from Amazon.

Taiwan companies are among the world’s innovators who are offering products that save energy, reduce pollution and help keep people fit. Taiwan has some of the world’s largest companies making green products such as bicycles, energy saving lights and solar cells to name a few. The Taiwan government is supporting this effort as part of its goal of sustainable development for businesses.

LCD TVs are replacing older CRT TVs for a number of reasons. LCDs take up less space than the bulky tube TVs, consume less energy and are free of the harmful radiation that is emitted from cathode rays in tube TVs. As a result, the sleek, energy-efficient LCD TVs have been at the top of the wish list for many consumers around the world.

The increasing demand for LCD-TVs is putting increased pressure on retailers in India to launch exclusive durable-only retail outlets, according to iSuppli. Several players in the market — such as India-based Videocon — are busy forming relationships with retailers and other large-format retail chains in order to develop the appropriate sales channels to accommodate incoming demand for LCD-TVs, iSuppli said.