SCHOTT Invests 195 Million Dollars in Market for TFT - LCD Glass Substrates

SCHOTT Invests 195 Million Dollars in Market for TFT - LCD Glass Substrates

MAINZ, Germany, November 24/PRNewswire/ --

- New Joint Venture for Processing of Substrates in Korea

- Melting Capacity to be Doubled With New Tank in Germany

SCHOTT AG is expanding its activities in the market for flat panel
displays. The technology company based in Mainz, Germany, is investing 195
million dollars (150 million euros) in its melting and processing capacity
for TFT-LCD glass (Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display) for flat
panel displays. "SCHOTT has the best chances to gain a top position in the
market for display glass, a market growing at 20 to 30 percent annually,"
said Dr. Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of the Board of Management. "

Today in Seoul, South Korea, SCHOTT entered a joint venture for the
processing of large format TFT-LCD glass substrates with technology leader
Kuramoto Seisakusho Co. Ltd., based in Japan's Miyagi prefecture. SCHOTT
holds 75 percent of the shares of SCHOTT KURAMOTO Processing Korea Co. Ltd.
and will supply the newly formed company with large format glass substrates
of generation five and upwards. Kuramoto will contribute its processing
know-how and owns the remaining 25 percent share.

The new 115 million dollar (90 million euro) plant is to be located
approximately 70 kilometers south of Seoul in Chungcheongbuk-do Ochang
Science Park, where it will be in close proximity to the global market
leaders for flat panel televisions, Samsung Electronics and LG Philips LCD.
The joint venture will create approximately 350 jobs by the time volume
production begins at the end of 2006. The company will serve panel and
television manufacturers, all of whom are located in Asia.

SCHOTT is also stepping up its melting capacity for alkali-free thin
glass substrates of the seventh and eighth generations with the constructing
of a new TFT melting tank, to be built in Jena, Germany, where SCHOTT already
operates one TFT tank. Construction of the 80 million dollar tank (60 million
euros) will begin in February, with ramp-up planned for the end of 2006. The
new tank will create 100 new jobs in Jena and will more than double the
company's melting capacity for the 0.7 millimeter thick TFT substrates.

Currently TFT-LCD monitors and notebooks are dominating the market for
flat screens. Flat panel televisions will, however, become the largest market
segment by the end of the decade, driving demand for large format substrates.
These allow flat panel TV manufacturers to produce more TFT-LCD panels in one
production step, thereby bringing manufacturing costs down, as growing
consumer demand for flat panel televisions has been steadily forcing prices
to drop.

The investments are part of SCHOTT's larger committment to Asia, where
ever more of its customers manufacture.

More information / press kit:

http://www.schott.com/english/news/press.html

SCHOTT is an international technology company providing special
materials, components and systems. Its main areas of focus are the household
appliances industry, optics, opto-electronics, pharmaceuticals and solar
energy. SCHOTT is present in all its major markets through production and
sales companies, with 17,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of 2
billion euros. SCHOTT is based in Mainz, Germany.

Contacts:

In Germany:
Klaus Hofmann
Corporate Public Relations
SCHOTT AG
Mainz
Tel: +49-(0)-61-31/-66-3662
Fax: +49-(0)-61-31/-66-4011
E-Mail: klaus-bernhard.hofmann@schott.com
http://www.schott.com

In Korea:
Geum-Soo LEE
Schott Korea Co., Ltd.
Seoul, Korea
Tel: +82-(2)-412-3143
Fax: +82-(2)-412-3162
E-Mail: geum-soo.lee@schott.com
http://www.schott.com

Source: SCHOTT AG

In Germany: Klaus Hofmann, Corporate Public Relations, SCHOTT AG, Mainz, Tel: +49-(0)-61-31/-66-3662, Fax: +49-(0)-61-31/-66-4011, E-Mail: klaus-bernhard.hofmann@schott.com http://www.schott.com In Korea: Geum-Soo LEE, Schott Korea Co., Ltd. Seoul, Korea, Tel: +82-(2)-412-3143, Fax: +82-(2)-412-3162, E-Mail: geum-soo.lee@schott.com http://www.schott.com

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