Toshiba Corporation today celebrated the official opening of
Toshiba Television Central Europe Sp. zo. o. (TTCE), a new production
and sales company for LCD TVs in Kobierzyce, southwest Poland. Toshiba
executives were joined for the opening ceremony and a reception by
representatives of the national and local government and other guests.
Toshiba established TTCE in September 2006 as a key element in its
strategy to strengthen its LCD TV business and expand production and
sales in Europe. Manufacturing started in July 2007, and has now been
ramped up to full scale production.
The opening ceremony at the Kobierzyce site, located near Wroclaw,
was attended by Mr. Marcin Korolec, the Vice Minister of the Economy,
Mr. Ryuichi Tanabe, the Japanese ambassador to Poland, other
representatives from the national and local government, and other
guests, including Toshiba's business partners. Toshiba was represented
by Mr. Toshio Yonezawa, corporate senior executive vice president. The
ceremony underlined the contribution that Toshiba expects to make to
the Kobierzyce community, and included the presentation of LCD TVs
manufactured at the plant to three local schools.
Global demand for LCD TVs has doubled every year since FY2001.
Demand growth is particularly strong in Europe, already the world's
largest LCD TV market, and is expected to expand from almost 16
million units in FY2006 to approximately 33 million units in
FY2009(1).
Toshiba already manufactures LCD TVs in Europe at Toshiba
Information Systems (UK) Ltd. The new Polish plant provides a second
production base that will support Toshiba in meeting growing demand
and reinforcing its presence in the pan-European market. The Company
targets production of some three million units in Europe by FY2009,
with the main focus on large sized LCD TVs with screen sizes of
32-inches and above.
Toshiba plans to invest a total of about six billion yen in TTCE
over the next five years, and will use the output from the plant to
win an increased share of the European LCD TV market.
Outline of TTCE
Company: Toshiba Television Central Europe Sp. zo. o.
Initial Capital: 4,590 million yen (wholly owned by Toshiba
Corporation)
Location: Kobierzyce, Poland
Established: September 2006
Start of production: July 2007
President: Yuji Komori
Site area: Approx. 223,000 square meters
Building area: Approx. 40,000 square meters
Employees: Approx. 1,000 by 2010
Business: LCD TV manufacturing and sales and marketing
(1) Toshiba's forecast
