New OLED technology that will change the display market

TCL has started construction of a new €3.9 billion T8 OLED factory in Guangzhou. It is the first 8.6G line with inkjet printing, promising up to 20% lower costs. The first panels will be for laptops and monitors, with mass production scheduled for 2027.

Photo: TCL

TCL CSOT has officially started construction of its long-awaited T8 8.6-generation OLED factory in Guangzhou, China. The company will invest an estimated 3.9 billion euros in the project, and the production will be based on inkjet printing instead of traditional vacuum deposition for mass production of RGB OLED panels. It is the world's first 8.6G line, with equipment to be installed by 2026, and mass production is scheduled for 2027.

The factory will have a capacity of 22,500 8.6G (2,290 × 2,620 millimeters) substrates or display matrices per month, which can be cut into multiple panels for tablets, laptops and monitors. TCL is not currently focusing on TVs, but on IT panels, where the advantages of OLED technology are already appreciated, but wider use is limited by higher prices.

A key innovation is inkjet printing of RGB OLED materials, which reduces waste and can reduce production costs by approximately 20 percent. The T8 project is designed to integrate the entire OLED chain. This includes materials to assembly, with the aim of creating a more competitive and cheaper production center.

Analysts warn of opportunities and risks. If TCL achieves its forecasted results, the T8 will increase the supply of mid-sized OLED panels, accelerate their use in laptops and monitors, and increase pressure on competing technologies such as QD-OLED and RGB-LED.

However, challenges remain. Mass production with inkjet printing on 8.6G substrates requires precise control of materials, nozzles and defects, as well as long-term stability. The first effects for consumers will be seen in high-end laptops and monitors, with a broader impact on OLED prices only after 2027.