Global displays are poised to overtake semiconductors and become a $100 billion industry. Flat panel displays, and in particular liquid crystal displays (LCDs), are ubiquitous and are found in products ranging from cell phones to big-screen TVs. It seems as if the display industry is introducing something new every few months: Whether an enhancement of a current product, such as brighter desktop monitors, or something radically different, such as Apple’s rotating screen for the iPhone, new consumer products are around every corner.

Behind the scenes, component suppliers and system assemblers are fighting for ground amid rapid commoditization. Among the fierce competition in what is still a rapidly growing industry, LCD panel manufacturers and makers of the backlight units that drive them are looking to material suppliers and component manufacturers for improved performance and significant cost reductions to improve margins.