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In a world that gathers around its computer screens and television sets, Corning is the global leader in providing glass substrates for active matrix liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The makers of LCD panels are requiring glass substrates with advanced attributes and optical properties in sizes that are larger than ever before. As the leader in LCD glass technology, Corning is at the very heart of this market, which could grow between 30 and 50 percent annually over the next several years. 

Driving the growth of Corning’s LCD business are the increasing demand for notebook com- puters, all of which require LCD panels; the shift toward LCD monitors for desktop computing, replacing the cumbersome cathode-ray tubes (CRTs); and the growing popularity of large-screen LCD televisions. All these applications require more glass. 

To keep up with market demand and to reduce their manufacturing costs, LCD panel manu- facturers are requiring larger and larger glass substrates, and this need is in perfect alignment with Corning’s strength in product innovation and precision glass-manufacturing processes. 

Corning is the worldwide leader in large-generation glass substrates, and set the standard with its EAGLE 2000 TM . We were the first to market with Generation 5 glass for LCDs. And in 2003, we began production of Generation 6 glass, from which our customers can make eight 30-inch panels, providing dramatic economies of scale over earlier generations. We will begin larger Generation 7 production in 2004. Display manufacturers increasingly view us as the “go-to” company for large- size substrates. 

What makes our LCD substrates unique? It’s largely due to our proprietary fusion process, which produces the world’s most pristine glass with uniform thickness, extremely important for optical performance as displays become larger. This highly engineered, high-technology substrate is able to meet the very complex challenges of LCD manufacturing, including withstanding extreme temperature fluctuations and chemical treatments. 

We are strategically positioned with local supply and customer support in all the major LCD- producing regions of the world, which enables us to work very closely with our customers, solving specific challenges quickly. Over the past year, we expanded our manufacturing capacity in Taiwan, Japan and the United States, as well as in Korea, through our equity company with Samsung. 

As the LCD industry moves toward larger substrates with increasingly demanding technical requirements, we believe Corning’s advantages will lead to significant, ongoing growth for years to come. 

