Planar Systems, Inc. is a provider of specialty display solutions for customers in a variety of markets. Products include display components, completed displays, and display solutions and systems based on a variety of flat panel and front and rear-projection technologies. The Company has a global reach with sales offices in North America, Europe, and Asia.

The electronic specialty display industry is driven by the proliferation of display products, from both the increase in “smart” devices and the availability and versatility of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) flat panel displays at increasingly lower costs; the ongoing need for system providers and integrators to rely on display experts to provide customized solutions; and from the growth in the market for targeted marketing and messaging to consumers using digital signage in a variety of form factors in both indoor and outdoor applications

The Company’s Strategy

For over a quarter century, Planar has been designing and bringing to market innovative display solutions. The Company focuses on specialty displays and customized products and systems, generally in niche display markets where requirements are more stringent, innovation is valued, and the customer is not served or is underserved by the mass-market, commodity display providers. The Company is adding resources to further target the growing market for digital signage displays, where a variety of its customers use the Company’s video wall and custom products for digital signage applications in retail, airport, sports arena and stadium, hospitality, quick serve restaurant, corporate and higher-education venues.

The Company’s Products

Planar delivers products for a wide variety of applications and vertical markets. It categorizes the products into Digital Signage or Non-Signage.

Digital Signage

The Digital Signage market has experienced rapid growth in recent years and is expected to have strong double digit growth over the next three to five years. Digital Signage is quickly becoming a mainstay for retail locations, airports, sports arenas, and quick serve restaurants. Planar participates in most display applications for the digital signage market utilizing a variety of technologies and products.

• Matrix: Planar’s super narrow bezel LCD products allow customers to create video walls for ambience, advertising, and brand promotion. Sold under the Clarity brand, the Matrix is well suited to these applications as it was designed with simple installation and maintenance friendly features.
• Commercial LCD: Planar provides a line-up of commercial-grade LCD displays suitable for a wide range of uses.
• Custom Signage: Planar also manufactures a wide variety of customized LCD solutions for customers with requirements which go beyond those available from off the shelf products. Included in this category is a line of outdoor signage products which are uniquely suited to demanding environmental conditions in mission critical applications such as quick serve restaurants.

Non-Signage

• Video Wall Cubes: The market for control room video wall solutions is driven by the development, expansion, and upgrade of industrial infrastructure such as power plants, transportation systems, communication systems, and security monitoring. Planar provides premium quality displays that meet the customer’s needs for virtually seamless video walls that support 24x7 operations.
• Touch Monitors: Planar markets a wide variety of touch products for use in kiosks and point of sale applications. As touch and interactive displays become more commonplace, the Company expects future opportunities for growth in this product category.
• Custom Non-Signage: Planar designs and manufactures custom LCD products that are generally targeted toward the transportation, military, and medical vertical markets. These displays are typically ruggedized to withstand extreme weather, moisture, dust, and vibration.
• Electroluminescent (EL): Planar leverages its historical core competency in EL technologies to focus on providing customized, embedded and ruggedized displays to Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEMs”) and other system suppliers. EL is used in a variety of applications and industries including instrumentation, medical equipment, vehicle dashboards, and military applications, all of which require functionality in demanding usage conditions such as rugged outdoor conditions, extreme temperatures, instances where shaking or shock is expected, or applications requiring transparency.
• High-End Home: Planar offers a wide variety of high-performance home theater front projection systems, video processing equipment, large-format thin displays, and accessories, largely aimed at the high-end home market. The Company has sold these products under the Runco brand since May 2007 when it acquired Runco International, an industry leader in high-end, luxury video products. Planar’s Runco products are primarily sold to its established network of custom home installation dealers in the United States.
• Desktop Monitors: Planar capitalizes on its strong supply chain, logistics, and distribution partnerships to sell a variety of primarily LCD based displays.

Planar is focused on positioning the Company for future growth, primarily by concentrating on the large and growing market for digital signage products, and executing on its strategy to deliver long-term shareholder value. For more information, please refer to the information included in this site or contact the Company’s Investor Relations office listed below.

Contact Information

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