DigiTimes趋势稿：AI需求推动闲置LCD厂改造为先进封装/基板/数据中心，LG Innotek被传评估收购LG Display龟尾P6E厂

Growing demand for AI servers, advanced packaging, and data centers is reviving interest in idle LCD plants, with companies acquiring and converting existing sites into semiconductor packaging substrate lines, advanced packaging facilities, and AI computing hubs. LG Innotek is reportedly evaluating the acquisition of an LCD plant operated by LG Display, following similar deals in Japan and Taiwan.

The trend is linking the restructuring of display-industry assets with the expansion of the AI industry, according to JoongAng Ilbo , Shinko Electric Industries, KDDI, and market research firm Omdia.
LG Innotek and Shinko eye former LCD plants
LG Innotek is reportedly assessing the acquisition of LG Display's P6E plant in Gumi, in South Korea's North Gyeongsang Province. The sixth-generation LCD facility formerly produced notebook and monitor panels and halted operations around June 2023.
The proposal under discussion involves removing the existing LCD equipment and converting the site into a semiconductor packaging substrate production line.
LG Innotek is expanding its flip-chip ball grid array (FC-BGA) substrate business for products including AI servers, making the existing plant a potential option for capacity expansion. However, the acquisition and conversion remain under evaluation, and the investment amount and production timeline have not been finalized.
In Japan, Shinko Electric Industries announced on September 30 that it had signed an agreement with Japan Display (JDI) to acquire JDI's Mobara plant. The facility formerly produced LCD panels for Apple's iPhone.
Shinko Electric Industries and partner FICT plan to jointly turn the plant into a core facility for flip-chip packages. Under the companies' plans, the transaction is expected to close by the end of March 2027, with operations targeted to begin in fiscal year 2028, which runs from April 2028 to March 2029.
TSMC and KDDI give old plants new roles
Taiwan has seen a similar case. In 2024, TSMC acquired Innolux's plant and facilities in Tainan for NT$17.14 billion (US$525.75 million). TSMC subsequently converted the site into the AP8 advanced packaging plant to support demand for AI chips, shifting the former display manufacturing hub toward semiconductor back-end processing.
KDDI, meanwhile, is converting Sharp plant assets acquired in April 2025 into a data center in Osaka. The facility was scheduled to open on January 22, 2026.
The project reuses high-capacity power and cooling equipment. The data center is expected to launch about nine months after the assets were acquired, with actual construction taking roughly six months, highlighting how existing infrastructure can accelerate the deployment of AI computing hubs.
LCD restructuring opens plants to reuse
The release of LCD plants reflects display manufacturers' efforts to adjust capacity and business strategies amid price competition. Based on estimated large-size LCD shipments in 2025, BOE Technology Group and TCL China Star held market shares of 36.2% and 16.4%, respectively, for a combined share of 52.6%. The scale of Chinese suppliers continues to pressure manufacturers in other regions.
For companies rushing to expand AI-related capacity, existing factories, clean rooms, and utility systems can shorten construction timelines compared with building facilities from scratch. The benefits of conversion, however, depend on whether the infrastructure suits its new purpose, as well as the costs of equipment replacement, repairs, and modifications.
Effectively converting existing assets into usable production capacity will be a key test for the renewed interest in reusing LCD plants.