Taiwan-based display supplier AU Optronics has denied a Nov. 23 report in the Taiwan Commercial Times that it may spin-off its older Generation 3.5 plants.

Like other suppliers of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, AU Optronics Corp. has been investing heavily into fabs for large flat-panel TVs, perhaps precipitating rumors it would unload some of its older fabs. But the company said in a statement that the newspaper report was false.

AU said in the statement it considers the Generation 3.5 fabs complementary to its fabs for larger panels, and has not discussed or considered dissembling the older fabs.

AU Optronics is ranked by analysts as the third-largest LCD panel supplier behind LG.Philips LCD and Samsung, neither of which has so far unloaded any of its older LCD fabs.