Plasma display makers will likely see their revenue decline beginning in 2009 as they face increased pressure from rival makers of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.

Global plasma display panel (PDP) revenue will rise 12 percent this year to $8.6 billion, peaking in 2008 at $10.2 billion, according to research from iSuppli. Revenue will drop to $8.7 billion by 2011 despite growing unit shipments as makers slash screen prices due to competition with LCD and other technologies.

In order for plasma manufacturers to continue to be successful in the market, they must weather the storm of LCDs while focusing consumer interest on PDPs' attractive form factors and reasonable prices,said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems at iSuppli.

Japan's Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which also operates under the Panasonic brand, remained the world's largest maker of PDPs with a 31.5 percent market share in the first quarter, followed by South Korean rivals LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung SDI Co.

The research firm also noted that Matsushita was the only company expanding its capacity, while other PDP makers are taking a wait-and-see approach as to how PDP-TV sales will react to the onslaught of LCD-TVs.

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