Foxconn investing $10 billion in US-based LCD plant

US President Trump was very happy yesterday as Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn announced a $10 billion dollar investment. The company will construct a 20,000 square foot LCD display factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Foxconn will get $3 billion in tax breaks and says the plant will create up to 13,000 jobs.

The factory will focus on large panels and Foxconn chairman and founder Terry Gou explains they want to build world's most advanced 8K ecosystem in the US. EE Times reports Foxconn's plan is highly ambitious as the US lacks the supply chain required for the production of large LCDs. These panels are almost all made in South Korea or China, but North America is the largest buyer of panels with a size over 55-inch.

Analysts speculate glass makers like Corning will set up shop right next to Foxconn's Sharp plant as transportation of large glass panels is too unwieldly:

The 10.5G fabs use sheets of glass that measure about three meters square and are only a few millimeters thick. Thus today’s large LCD fabs have glass plants, usually Corning, co-located next to them. “You can’t make the glass elsewhere and ship it because it’s too unwieldy,” said a former display analyst who asked not to be named.

Thank you Foxconn, for investing $10 BILLION DOLLARS with the potential for up to 13K new jobs in Wisconsin! MadeInTheUSA???????? pic.twitter.com/jJghVeb63s

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 27 juli 2017