Samsung SDI Sells Polarizing Film Business to Chinese Company for 1.121 Trillion KRW

Samsung SDI is selling its polarizing film business.

Samsung SDI announced on the 10th that it has decided to sell the polarizing film business within its electronic materials division to the Chinese company Wuxi Hengxin Optoelectronic Materials. The transaction amount is 1.121 trillion KRW.

Samsung SDI plans to sell all business operations related to the manufacturing and sales of polarizing films at its plants in Cheongju, Chungbuk, and Suwon, Gyeonggi, as well as all shares of its Wuxi corporation located in Jiangsu Province, China. The average operating rate of these factories last year was 83%, with a production capacity of 91.32 million square meters.

Samsung SDI stated, "We will focus our core capabilities on developing next-generation materials such as semiconductors, OLED, and batteries in the electronic materials business sector to enhance competitiveness, and maximize synergy with the battery business through continuous investment."

Samsung SDI Polarizing Film Production Line
Photo by Samsung SDI

Polarizing film is the black film that covers the entire front of screens such as TVs and monitors. It plays a role in controlling the light transmittance and reflectance of liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays.

After separating the polarizing film business, Samsung SDI's electronic materials division will retain production of semiconductor and battery materials, as well as display materials (film materials such as process protection films for OLED and process materials such as OLED materials). The electronic materials division's sales amounted to 2.3022 trillion KRW last year, accounting for 10% of total sales.