Hsinchu, Taiwan


AUO Corporation ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO)
held a press conference in celebration of its first merger anniversary today. Based on its financial strength and the continuous growth of the Thin Film Transistor – Liquid Crystal Display ("TFT-LCD") industry, the company is charging ahead with its ambitious expansion plans. The company is in the process of applying to the Ministry of Finance for their subsidy Research and Development Program, as their continuous dedication to further developing innovative products. With new flat panel display applications and a most comprehensive product lineup, AU Optronics looks to a new era in the flat panel display industry.

 

Mr. K.Y. Lee, CEO of AU Optronics, joins the employees in this first anniversary celebration. Mr. Lee says, "Within the past year AU Optronics has taken command in the domestic flat panel industry. In eight record categories: product production, sales revenues, profitability, international capital market funding, technology advancement, capital investment, internationalization, and 5th generation fab production, AU Oprotronics has clearly emerged as the market leader. Our past year accomplishments will certainly strengthen our position in the international market place."

 

Mr. H.B. Chen, President, mentions, "In Taiwan's flat panel industry AU Optronics has the strongest financial structure that is supported by a NT$30 billion cash reserve. Our equity ratio is conservatively set at 60% and funding channels are the most internationalized. Mr. Chen also says, "AU Optornics' international strategy is not limited to expanding our manufacturing base. To better serve our customers, we also added sales offices in Japan, China and the United States. We have set our path on the one-way road of continual progress. Regardless whether it is 6th generation or 7th generation, we will charge ahead."

 

With regards to 5th generation production technology, AU Optronics has successfully developed its Liquid Crystal Drop Fill and 4 masks technologies. The company has plans to set up individual researching laboratories covering LTPS ( Low Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon), OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode), PDP (Plasma Display Panel), product and processing technologies ("PPT") and next generation PPT in what will become one of the most advanced research and development center. AU Optronics is the world's only experimental fab, which provides both a-Si TFT, and LTPS AMOLED technologies.