Sony plans to double its annual production of Bravia LCD TVs in Slovakia from two million in fiscal 2007 to four million by the end of this calendar year.

The Slovak factory will become Sony's largest producer of LCD TVs, and the company has pledged to increase staff levels from 2,300 to 3,500 to cope with the extra demand.

Sony first began producing Bravia LCD TVs in Trnava, Slovakia in April 2006, but that plant quickly reached capacity and could not be expanded.

The company then built the Nitra Technology Centre in Nitra, 40km east of Trnava, and relocated production to the new plant in August 2007.

"Sales of Bravia TVs are continuing to grow in double-digits in many countries across Europe," said Fujio Nishida, president of Sony Europe.

Sony's Slovakian operations manufactured around two million Bravia LCD TVs in fiscal 2007, and Sony is doubling capacity to four million sets by expanding the production capability in Nitra.

"Bravia holds the key for further growth of Sony's electronics business," said Ryoji Chubachi, president and electronics chief executive at Sony.

The Nitra Technology Centre is set to produce all the main Bravia LCD TV line-ups from the standard right through to the high-end models.

Sony is also building a logistics centre adjacent to the Nitra site to help better manage distribution.