Samsung has said that it will shut down the firm's cathode ray tube factory in Berlin by the year-end due to sinking demand for bulky TVs. Samsung SDI Germany currently churns out 250,000 colour picture tubes/pa. However, the demand for the picture tube has steadily decreased in recent years as European consumers increasingly favour flat screen panels. Further, cheaper glass tubes from China & India have been eating away Samsung's share in the EU market. Europe s CRT television market stood at 439M units in 2004. It is expected to shrink to 358M units in 2006. Samsung's German unit which also makes PDP and mobile display, saw its sales of CRT decline over the years from Euros 344M in 2002 to Euros 261M in 2003 and 229M last year. The plant closure is expected to result in the loss of 750 jobs. Samsung said it has no plans to close any others for the time being.
