Mitsui LCD TV market slump back COF market

Mitsui (Mitsui Mining & Smelting) 22 issued press release announced that it will exit the LCD flip-chip package with film (COF; Chip On Film)market, mainly due to sluggish sales of flat-screen TVs recently, prices fell, with LCD TV manufacturers have to take in system of measures, it isjudged that the cause of COF earnings would have difficulty in the back. Mitsui said it will stop production end of June 2012 COF.

Mitsui said that in addition to COF, the company will exit the die bonding tape and reel packaging (TAB; Tape Automated Bonding) market. Mitsuisaid the end of June 2012 will cease production of plasma panels (PDP) with the TAB, TAB and other products will be discontinued in March 2013.Mitsui noted that with the exit COF / TAB market, a subsidiary of MCS will be dissolved.

According to Japanese media reports that the Mitsui Metal COF plant is the largest in Japan, its global market share was once as high as 3-4percent. According to reports, in addition to Mitsui, the Japanese No. 2 COF Factory Hitachi Cable (Hitachi Cable) has been out of the end of March this year, COF market, manufacturers in Japan COF remaining Shindo electronics industry (Shindo) one.