Counterpoint Research has released the second part of its white paper ‘The Display Glass Industry’, which analyses key dynamics shaping display glass sourcing as the industry pivots to larger gen sizes and to China.

Building on the profile laid out in Part 1, the new report details purchase priorities of flat panel display (FPD) makers when choosing a display glass vendor. The report also outlines six factors considered by FPD makers in making the decision – Quality, Security of Supply, Flexibility, Proximity, Compatibility and Price.

“FPD makers carefully weigh all of these factors when making the strategic decisions on display glass supply,” said Research Director Bob O’Brien, the author of the white paper. “Typically, an FPD maker will negotiate an LTA (long-term agreement) before production starts on a new fab. An LTA helps avert an FPD maker’s worst nightmare – a glass shortage that constrains the FPD maker but not its competitors, leading to lost market share and strained relations with key customers.”

Although price is an important consideration for glass supply, it must be considered within the overall cost of the FPD maker. Display glass makes up about 10% of the total cost of a typical TV panel, but lower-quality glass can result in yield losses that can outweigh a discounted glass price. 

In 2025, Mainland China represented 75% of global display glass demand (including 100% of Gen 10.5 glass), and the white paper provides a deep dive into the display glass industry there. The glass market in Mainland China is dominated by large Gen sizes, with 92% of the demand being Gen 8 or larger, compared with only 39% in other FPD regions. Similarly, 93% of glass demand in Mainland China is for amorphous silicon (a-Si) backplanes, against 73% in other FPD regions.

The white paper details the geographic spread of display glass production by the major industry players, and outlines display glass makers’ capacity by region and the estimated size of the glass market in Mainland China.

More than CNY 100 billion has been invested in display glass production capacity in Mainland China, and more than 8,000 workers are employed by display glass makers there. Revenues from display glass in 2025 amounted to more than CNY 35 billion.

‘The Display Glass Industry’, a Counterpoint Research white paper, is available in English, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Korean and Japanese, and can be downloaded here.

About Counterpoint Research

Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.