By Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY, NSW: TCL, now officially China’s biggest appliance maker, has started work on a new TV production plant in Shenzhen. This plant will be used to manufacture LCD, LED and 3D televisions.

According to the state-run Chinese news agency, TCL and Shenchao Technology each hold a 50 per cent stake in the plant, which is expected to cost US$3.6 billion. In total, it will cover 600,000 square metres.

Output from the new plant is expected to reach 14 million panels per year at maximum efficiency. This is just shy of the 14.28 million televisions sold globally by TCL.

"The time is now for TCL to start marketing and selling its products under its own brand, around the world to completely transit from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Created in China’ and promote Chinese brands on a global basis," said TCL senior vice president Gary Yu.

"After 10 years [of] globalisation, TCL has formed an extensive global business network. We have integrated our industrial chain, strengthened innovation and increased our competitiveness in the global marketplace. The TCL brand and other brands that TCL owns will benefit from the economic recovery in Europe, North America and emerging markets which are expected to improve in 2010.”

On the local front, TCL has been aggressively expanding its Australian brand marketing, with prominent signage deals at all Australian cricket grounds throughout the summer. This is on top of TCL’s partnership with the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, which continues to showcase the TCL brand during Melbourne Cup week.