Konka reports flat-screen sales surge

One of China's largest television set manufactureres, the Konka Group, has reported a 410 percent year-on-year increase in sales of flat-panel television sets over the first half of this year. The surge is largely due to a sharp rise in exports, but the domestic market has also shown strong growth, reported a spokesman for the company, which is partly owned by French television giant Thomson.

Konka's exports of flat-panel televisions rose almost sevenfold to 240,000 units over the first two quarters of this year compared to 35,000 over the same period last year. The company is now planning to build four new manufacturing plants for liquid crystal display (LCD) television sets at a cost of around Rmb100 million.

CMI - 22/8/06