HSINCHU, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Following the publishing of ISO 50001standard for energy management by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on June 15, AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) announced today that its G8.5 facility in Central Taiwan Science Park has passed ISO 50001standard for energy management. AUO is the first manufacturer in the world, as well the first company in Taiwan, to have obtained this certification. Meanwhile, AUO's TV module plant in Suzhou, China has also passed the evaluation. AUO's next step is to apply this energy management system to all its global production sites.
ISO 50001 is developed by the ISO/PC 242 energy management project committee of International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The standard establishes a framework for industrial plants or commercial facilities to manage energy, so that energy efficiency increases, costs are reduced and less impact is made on the environment.
"It is our great honor that AUO's G8.5 fab in Central Taiwan Science Park has obtained the IS version of ISO 50001 certification. This is another international acknowledgement following AUO's winning the world's first LEED Platinum Certification from USGBC this May," said Shr-Kai Lin, AUO's VP of Global Manufacturing. "AUO's being the first manufacturer in the world to have gained ISO 50001 certification represents that the Company's persistent efforts in energy-saving green practices have been widely acknowledged globally. Energy management system certification has been gaining considerable attention from countries around the world. ISO 50001 will become the next global highlight following ISO 9001, the quality management system, and ISO 14001, the environmental management system. Getting the verification will become a prerequisite for a company's international competitiveness. AUO will continue to pool in more resources for green production and innovation, paving way for even greener and more sustainable management."
"What AUO has acquired is the first ISO 50001 (IS) certification issued by SGS globally. The Company is also the world's first manufacturer to have obtained this certification," said Outi Maatta, SGS's VP of Global Marketing & Business Development. "AUO leads the world in not only its systematic approach toward energy management, but also energy-saving measures and management during production. The Company's overall energy efficiency surpasses ordinary office buildings considerably."
AUO has introduced ISO 50001, the latest international standard on energy management, to front-end TFT and back-end module facilities based on its obtained certifications such as ISO 14001, ISO 14064 and LEED. The goal is to achieve 25% energy savings in 2015, with 2010 as the base year. The focus of the ISO 50001 certification is on production energy management. With such a scheme implemented, 10% energy conservation could be achieved for AUO's G8.5 fab in Central Taiwan Science Park in 2011. An estimated 55 million kWh of electricity will be saved, and 35 thousand tons of carbon emissions reduced, the equivalent effect of the afforestation of nine New York City Central Parks. Approximately 5% of energy could be saved at AUO's Suzhou TV module plant, equivalent of around 1.5 million kWh of electricity.
In the future, AUO plans to advance the ISO 50001 energy management system to each fabrication. By means of energy source management, energy performance will also be taken into account in procurement to enhance value chain energy management. As an all-round, leading green solutions provider, AUO will dedicate itself to continuous innovations for better green competitiveness. Meanwhile, the Company will continue to practice energy savings and carbon reduction to lead the industry by creating infinite green business opportunities.
| * ISO 50001 is an evaluation standard for energy management systems. The standard enables organizations to establish, operate, maintain and improve energy management systems, so that continuous progress could be made to increase energy performance, efficiency and savings. The ISO 50001 standard was officially announced on June 15, 2011. | |
ABOUT AU OPTRONICS
AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is a global leader of thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD). AUO is able to provide customers with a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive applications, offering TFT-LCD panels in sizes ranging from 1.2 inches to greater than 71 inches. AUO generated NT$467.2 billion in sales revenue in 2010 (US$16 billion) with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the U.S., and Europe. Additionally, AUO is the first pure TFT-LCD manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). AUO extended its market to the green energy industry in late 2008. The Display and Solar businesses were established respectively as the Company's two core businesses in October, 2010. For more information, please visit AUO.com.
| * 2010 year end revenue converted at an exchange rate of NTD29.14:USD1. | |
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a global leader of TFT-LCD panels, today announced the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the statements contained in this Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at the time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance of and demand for our products, technological and development risks, competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on May 3rd, 2011.
