SMD forges strategic tie-up with U.S. display firm

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Mobile Display Co., (SMD), one of the largest display makers in the world, said Tuesday that it has forged a strategic alliance with a leading U.S. industrial materials firm in an effort to strengthen its global competitiveness. The deal with Universal Display Corp. is expected to help enhance cooperation in the use of patents and technologies in the latest active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) panels that are used in smartphones and tablet PCs, SMD said. "The strategic tie-up will help SMD enhance its competitiveness in the worldwide display market," the South Korean company said. SMD and Universal have engaged in several joint projects to make display-related materials. Universal is an industry leader in the production of materials and components used to make AMOLEDs and has extensive business ties with display producers such as LG Display, Sony and Konica Minolta. AMOLED panels, mostly adopted in mobile phones and small-screen tablet computers, are seen as best suited for streaming videos because of their vivid images and colors.