Samsung SDI, a battery arm of Samsung Group, said Tuesday it would suspend the production of plasma display panels at end-November and instead focus on its materials and energy businesses.

The company said in its regulatory filing that the decision is based on falling demand for PDP TVs. The division’s sales last year were 1.5 trillion won ($1.48 billion), 31.1 percent of the company‘s total.

“While reusable facilities and parts from the PDP production lines will be utilized for the battery business, others will be sold to other firms for cash,” said Lee Seung-jun, a communications official from Samsung SDI.

The company tapped the Braun-tube business in 1970 and widened the business to the PDP industry in 2001. It became the top maker of PDP panels in November 2003.

The company has since entered other businesses for growth, including secondary batteries, in which it was ranked the world’s top manufacturer for the fourth consecutive year in 2013. (Yonhap)