Matsushita to produce 11.1 milion 42" PDP panels annually by 2008

Matsushita said it will invest about $1.5 billion to build a new plasma display panel (PDP) fab in Hyogo Prefecture, Prefecture. The plant will output about 500,000 42" PDPs per month, which would make it the world's largest production facility of its kind.

The firm said that it will begin construction in May of 2006; the production ramp is scheduled to begin in July of 2007 with full production to be available in fiscal 2008. By then, the total annual PDP production capacity will have reached 11.1 million units, according to Matsushita.