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ID Kang, president of AKT, an Applied Materials LCD equipment subsidiary, said the company may revise its forecast for worldwide demand in the LCD TV market this year, and is positive about the outlook of the LCD equipment industry in 2008, despite slow performance in 2007.

AKT estimated that demand for worldwide LCD monitors would reach 147 million units in 2007, notebook demand would top 100 million units, and, originally, predicted that the LCD TV market would reach 75 million units. However, following a recent visit to Taiwan panel makers, which all delivered a rosy outlook for the market, AKT may now revise its forecast for worldwide LCD TV demand upward for the year, Kang stated.

However, AKT will maintain its predictions for 2008 and 2009 with LCD TV shipments expected to grow to 103 million and 134 million units, respectively.
Although the year 2007 will be a 'slower' year for LCD equipment makers, 2008 will be better. The major orders for AKT this year are from panel makers' slight expansion at 5G, 6G, and 7G plants.

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