AGC Supplies “XCVTM” Glass Substrate for LGPs That Enable Extra-Thin LCD TVs

TOKYO

AGC, a world-leading supplier of glass, chemicals, ceramics and other high-tech materials and components, announced today that it is supplying manufacturers with a superior glass substrate for light guide plate (LGP), named XCV^TM (pronounced “ex-ive”), that helps reduce the thickness of LCD TVs and displays to about 5mm. XCV^TM, which offers high transmittance and extended flexibility for designing, has already been adopted for stylish, next-generation TVs and displays marketed by several manufacturers.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150714005662/en/

Compared to conventional LGPs made from acrylic resin, AGC’s new XCV^TM glass substrate offers more than 20 times greater stiffness and a coefficient of thermal expansion reduced by a factor of eight. Also, the bezel, or grooved area used to hold the screen in place, can be made narrower because XCV^TM is highly resistant to thermal expansion, enabling more stylish product designs. In addition, XCV^TM does not require structural components needed to support plastic LGPs, so it helps to reduce display weight.

AGC, by adopting its proprietary extra-efficient float process developed for the production large glass substrate, is prepared to mass-produce and quickly deliver XCV^TM to meet strong demands from TV and display manufacturers.

LGPs use the edge-lit method to transmit and diffuse light from LEDs placed at the screen’s edges, resulting in improved backlighting of the screen. Whereas existing glass materials are not suited to LGPs due to their low transmittance, XCV^TM is a highly suitable LGP material because it offers the necessary high transmittance to assure extra-bright displays.

“AGC developed its new XCV^TM glass substrate to replace conventional plastic LGPs by applying the company’s century of excellence in manufacturing diverse glass products. XCV^TM is a highly advanced glass substrate that enables large, bright TV displays to be produced with 5mm thinness,” said Tadashi “Bruce” Murano, General Manager of AGC’s Applied Glass Materials General Division.

Going forward, AGC will continue to drive progress in the TV and display market by enhancing the properties and performance of XCV^TM to satisfy the evolving demands of manufacturers to produce larger, brighter and thinner TVs and displays for consumers.

About the AGC Group

The AGC Group, with Tokyo-based Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. at its core, is a world-leading supplier of flat, automotive and display glass, chemicals and other high-tech materials and components. Drawing on more than a century of technical innovation, the AGC Group has developed world-class expertise in fields including glass, chemistry and ceramics technologies. The group employs some 51,100 people worldwide and generates annual sales of 1,348.3 billion JPY (approximately 11 billion USD) through business in about 30 countries. For more information, please visit www.agc-group.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150714005662/en/

Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.
(Mr.) Jun Karasuyama, +81-3-3218-5603
Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
info-pr@agc.com
or
Weber Shandwick
(Ms.) Ruth Nakajima, +81-3-5427-7352
rnakajima@webershandwick.com
(Mr.) Dai Sawatake, +81-3-5427-7318
dsawatake@webershandwick.com