This week I’m in South Korea to check out some of Samsung’s up-and-coming technology. So far, I’ve visited the company’s impressive LCD panel manufacturing facility as well as learnt about some new display products – some of which I’ll be writing about in due course, some that I’m frustratingly not allowed to at the moment. When companies invite you to see their upcoming wares, they invariably always get you to sign a chit to stop you from talking about it.

Later today we’re finding out about the company’s laptop roadmap. We already know there’s some stuff we won’t be able to report on as it involves future Intel silicon, but there will certainly be some news from our meetings with Samsung top brass. We’re also touring the research and development facilities and testing labs, so I’ll be reporting back on what I see there.

Why don't LCD prices tumble?

The LCD plant is an incredible sight – located at Tangjeong an hour out of Seoul, it employs 6,000 directly and 5,000 in affiliate industries – this could rise to 50,000 by the time the site is completed in 2015. Like any other visitor to the site, we weren’t allowed to take pictures of what’s going on inside.

Huge 200m lines take the work and the company is currently constructing the $2 billion second phase of its eighth-generation line to produce its largest LCD screens. Two more lines are being planned, with land allocated for three more.

The lines are a joint venture (dubbed S-LCD) between Samsung and Sony, who use the panels in their TVs. The new line will produce 60,000 sheets measuring 2.2 x 2.5 metres a month according to Samsung.

That’s in addition to 100,000 smaller sheets on the seventh generation line and 50,000 on the existing eighth generation line. It’s a mind-blowing operation.

Our guide explained that the backlight unit that provides light for the screen is actually rather expensive – responsible for a third of the cost of an LCD display. Since it’s not made by Samsung and controlled by a single American manufacturer, it’s one reason why LCD prices aren’t falling as much as you might expect.

Midnight curfew

Large, purpose-built tower blocks house the workers needed for this immense operation. A Samsung employee who guided us round said that one of the apartment buildings is for those under 24. There’s even a midnight curfew in place – if you get back later, you have to tell your boss…

Samsung’s hold on industry here is incredible and it controls a great deal from shipping and financials to the hotel we’re staying in. Samsung’s recent business problems have been well documented and things rumble on – this morning’s Herald Tribune highlights the circular ownership of many of Samsung’s business units. It’s certainly interesting times for the company.