Samsung is known for its high-quality televisions which have dominated the market for many years. But have you ever wondered where are Samsung TVs made and from which country they come?
As buyers, we often focus on the price and quality of a product, but we rarely think of where it was manufactured, even though this has a major impact on the product’s cost, quality, sustainability, and even the company’s reputation.
In this blog article, I will answer your question about where Samsung TVs are made in great detail. Plus, I will go through the manufacturing aspects of Samsung TVs.
Contents
The Manufacturing Locations: Where are Samsung TVs made?
Despite having its headquarters in South Korea, Samsung has a huge worldwide manufacturing network with locations in many different countries.
This is the least that can be expected from a multinational conglomerate and one of the largest manufacturers of consumer electronics in the world.
With that being said, Samsung’s televisions are manufactured in several countries across different continents, and they are:
1. Asia
- South Korea (1969-2018): Even though Samsung’s first factory and headquarters are located in its native South Korea, you might assume that the majority of Samsung TVs are produced there, but this isn’t the case. Since 2018, Samsung has stopped mass production of TVs in South Korea. Therefore, if your television was manufactured after 2018, it was most likely not manufactured in South Korea.
- China (1993-2020): China was one of the first countries where Samsung built a TV plant in 1993, but it closed down in 2020 due to low efficiency and the increase in staff salaries. China mainly supplied TVs for the local market and some neighboring countries.
- Vietnam (2008-present): Vietnam is regarded as a major hub for Samsung’s TV manufacturing operations, in which the company has made significant investments due to low labor costs and the suitability of Vietnam government rules. Manufacturing facilities in Vietnam make screens and accessories for Samsung TVs before shipping them to other countries for final assembly.
- India (1997-present): Samsung has made significant investments in India in recent years which turned the country into a major supplier of Samsung TVs for Asia and other regions. For example, there’s a large manufacturing plant in Noida, Uttar Pradesh which is the first high-technique project that was set up in India after relocating from China.
- Thailand (1989-present): Thailand is yet another Asian country where Samsung has manufacturing operations. For example, Chon Buri is home to one of the factories.
- Malaysia (1989-present): Samsung once operated TV plants in Malaysia, but over time, the company stopped doing so and moved to other countries. However, based on the limited information available online, one factory in Port Klang, Selangor, is most likely still in operation today.
2. Europe
- Slovakia (2002-present): With the purpose of serving the European market, Samsung has manufacturing plants in Slovakia where it produces a wide range of electronics, including TVs.
- Hungary (1989-present): Samsung has a significant presence in Hungary with their manufacturing plant where they produce televisions for the European market.
- Russia (2008-present): In the Kaluga area of Russia, Samsung has a TV manufacturing that primarily serves the Russian market and a few neighboring countries. However, due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Samsung suspended the operation of its TV factory in Russia in March 2022, as well as all exports to Russia.
3. Americas
- Mexico (1988-present): in Mexico, Samsung has its largest TV plant in America. This manufacturing facility enables Samsung to serve the whole North American market, one of the largest and most important TV marketplaces in the world, by producing around 19 million units annually.
- Brazil (2004-present): Most of the products Samsung sells in the South and Central American markets, including TVs, are made in production factories in Brazil.
4. Africa
- Egypt (2013-present): To service the Middle Eastern and African markets, Samsung established its first TV production factory in the region, which mostly produces TVs and tablets.
- South Africa (2018-present): A second Samsung TV plant was constructed on the continent, in the country of South Africa, as a result of the region’s growing demand for its products.
Note: You should know that Samsung has a global supply chain network that enables it to produce TV components in certain countries with cheap labor (e.g. China and Vietnam), and then assemble them in different locations depending on market demand, supply chain considerations, logistics, and most importantly tax policies.
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Factors Influencing Samsung’s Choice of Manufacturing Locations
After learning who manufactures Samsung TVs and in which countries, you may question, “Why doesn’t Samsung have manufacturing plants in my country?” or “How does Samsung decide where to manufacture its products?”
Well, to answer your question, we have to go through the main factors that Samsung considers when choosing a manufacturing location. Which are:
1. Cost of Labor
Like any for-profit business, Samsung wants to keep production costs as low as possible. To do this, they typically locate their manufacturing facilities in countries with cheap labor. This is the reason Samsung has made significant investments in countries with the lowest labor costs, such as Vietnam, India, and Mexico.
2. Market Demand and Proximity
Another factor that Samsung considers when selecting a manufacturing location is the size and potential of the local market. For example, in recent years, when the demand for Samsung products increased in the African market, Samsung invested $20 million in building a TV factory in South Africa. Also, manufacturing products closer to the customer will significantly cut transportation costs.
3. Government Policies and Regulations
Countries with favorable tax policies, investment incentives, favorable labor laws and regulations, and free trade agreements are the #1 priority to Samsung as potential manufacturing locations. A good example of this case is Vietnam, where Samsung benefits from the highest tax incentives for investors.
On the other hand, we can claim that one of the factors driving Samsung to relocate from China to countries like Vietnam and Thailand is the continuing trade war between the United States and China.
4. Availability of Resources
Resources like labor, raw materials, and energy are the foundation of every manufacturing process; without them, factories would be unable to operate at full capacity and would face high expenses.
Who Makes Samsung TV? (Manufacturers)
Samsung TVs are manufactured by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (also called Tristar Electronics), a South Korean multinational electronics corporation headquartered in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, South Korea.
The company is the biggest manufacturer of TVs in the world, and is known for using high-quality components in its televisions, including Quantum Dot technology and a range of screen technologies.
Samsung Electronics, which started as an electronics subsidiary of the Samsung Group, is a multinational company and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electronics.
Most of the screens are made by Samsung Display, a South Korean manufacturer of OLED panels and formerly a manufacturer of amorphous TFT LCD panels, owned by Samsung Electronics.
The LCD and LED panels used to be manufactured by Samsung Electronics, until Samsung awarded the contract to a former subsidiary, Hansol Technics, a South Korean display manufacturer based out of Seoul.
Other subsidiaries of Samsung Electronics that are involved in the manufacturing process include:
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Samsung Semiconductor: Samsung Semiconductor is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and produces memory chips and other semiconductors. Samsung Semiconductor’s products are crucial to the performance of Samsung’s televisions.
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Samsung SDI: Samsung SDI is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and produces batteries for televisions and other electronic devices. Samsung SDI’s batteries power Samsung’s smart televisions and other devices, allowing them to operate efficiently.
Samsung sources its materials from multiple countries, and have used various Chinese and Taiwan companies such as Innolux, China Star, BOE and AU Optronics to make their panels.
The Bottom Line
Understanding where a product is manufactured can help you judge its quality, understand the reasons for its pricing, and make informed decisions about which businesses to support.
When it comes to Samsung TVs, they are made in various countries across Asia, Europe, America, and even Africa.
In certain instances, the primary components are made in one country, then the final assembly is carried out in a different country before the product is shipped to the market.