Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Institute partners with Truly to commercialise LCD screen research

A Hong Kong government body set up to enhance the city’s research and development capability has formed a partnership with a leading LCD screen manufacturer to commercialise its research.

The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Institute (ASTRI) and Truly International Holdings Limited have formed the ASTRI-Truly Joint Research and Development Centre to turn the institute’s research into commercial products.

“We have a lot of facilities that can help Truly realise their future roadmap, and by establishing this we expect in the next couple of years we will pump out more and more patents, more and more research results,” said Jack Lau, acting chief executive officer of ASTRI.

Lau said ASTRI has been working with Truly for a number of years and this new formal arrangement will allow the government body to learn the company’s market needs to provide the relevant technologies in return.

ASTRI was established in 2000 to boost Hong Kong’s competitiveness in technology-based industries and now employs 420 engineers carrying out research and development to transfer technologies to industry.

Hong Kong-listed Truly is one of the top ten manufacturers of LCD screens for the automotive industry and supplies Volkswagen, BMW and Jaguar Landrover. The company also manufactures LCD screens, touch panels and cameras for smart phones.