(Yicai Global) June 19 -- China National Building Material has built the country's first production line capable of producing 8.5th-generation TFT-LCD glass substrates, making China one of few nations to master the technology.

The central state-owned firm's Bengbu Glass Industry Design and Research built the facility after three years of research, Science and Technology Daily reported. The plant aims to obtain certifications that will allow it to manufacture for domestic display makers.

TFT-LCD, or thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal displays, are classified by the size of their glass substrate. Sixth-generation displays are now widely considered out-dated while 8.5th-gen tech is the most advanced. The newer technologies use larger substrates, which are more efficient to make and can be used in larger screens.

Demand for glass substrates in China reached 260 million square meters in 2018, with demand for 8.5th-gen components making up 233 million, according to the China Optics & Optoelectronics Manufacturers Association. But domestic production is only about 40 million square meters and all below 6th-gen. American and Japanese companies mostly dominate the more advanced segment of the market.

The association expects demand to surge to 300 million square meters by 2020, or about half of the global total, leaving massive room for development.

Editor: James Boynton