In March 2016 LG Display announced that it aims to construct a Gen-5 (1000x1200 mm) OLED lighting fab in Gumi, South Korea. The fab was said to start mass production in the first half of 2017, with a monthly capacity of 15,000 substrates.
Today we update that LG Display has indeed started to work on the new OLED lighting production line. When the company made its announcement in March, it already placed the orders for the new Gen-5 deposition development. Mass production is indeed expected in 2017 (although LGD does not wish to commit to a certain month yet as these things sometimes get longer than expected).
LG already has a Gen-2 OLED lighting fab in which the company used to produce commercial panels - both rigid and flexible ones. But LGD placed its flexible OLED production on hold (perhaps the equipment is being moved to the new line) and inventory is already depleted - so at this stage it is not possible to buy flexible OLED lighting panels from LGD. Anyone interested in flexible OLED lighting will have to wait till next year (unless some other producers, such as Konica Minolta, starts production as well).
LG Chem OLED fab cost estimation (2012)
This is terrific news regarding LGD's new fab. When this production line is ready, it will dramatically enhance LG's production volume and should lead to much lower production costs (back in 2012 LG estimated that the Gen-5 fab will cut production costs by 95%). This may be the world's first real mass production OLED lighting fab Konica Minolta, as we said before, kicks up commercial production in its own R2R OLED lighting fab).
I am very excited to hear LGD is about to finish the Gen5 OLED lighting line. I hope the price of the flexible panels will drop to a range, where I can actually realize projects with it.