TCL Corporation
Encyclopedia
TCL Corporation is a multinational
electronics company headquartered in Huizhou
, Guangdong
, China
. In 2010 it was the world's 25th-largest consumer electronics producer and sixth-largest television producer (after Samsung
, LG
, Sony
, Panasonic and Sharp
).
TCL comprises three listed companies: TCL Corporation (SZ.000100), which is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
, and TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings, Ltd. (HK.1070) and TCL Communication Technology Holdings, Ltd. (HK.2618), which are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
.
TCL's current corporate slogan is "The Creative Life".
, TCL was established as a joint venture with several Hong Kong-based investors.
In July 2003, TCL chairman Li Dongsheng formally announced a 'Dragon and Tiger Plan' to establish two competitive TCL businesses in global markets ("Dragons") and three leading businesses inside China ("Tigers"). In November 2003, TCL and Thomson SA of France announced the creation of a joint venture to produce televisions and DVD players worldwide. TCL took a 67 percent stake in the joint venture, with Thomson SA holding the rest of the shares, and it was agreed that televisions made by TCL-Thomson would be marketed under the TCL brand in Asia and the Thomson and RCA brands in Europe and North America. In April 2004, TCL and Alcatel
announced the creation of a mobile phone manufacturing joint venture. TCL injected 55 million euros in the venture in return for a 55 per cent shareholding. In May 2005 TCL announced that its Hong Kong-listed unit would acquire Alcatel's 45 per cent stake in their mobile-phone joint venture for consideration of HK$63.34 million ($8.1 million) worth of TCL Communication shares.
In June 2007 TCL announced that its mobile phone division planned to cease using the Alcatel brand and switch entirely to the TCL brand within five years. In April 2008 Samsung Electronics
announced that it would be outsourcing the production of some LCD TV modules to TCL. In July 2008 TCL announced that it planned to raise 1.7 billion yuan ($249 million) via a share placement on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to fund the construction of two production lines for LCD televisions; one for screens of up to 42 inches, and the other for screens of up to 56 inches. TCL sold a total of 4.18 million LCD TV sets in 2008, more than triple the number during 2007. In January 2009 TCL announced plans to double its LCD TV production capacity to 10 million units by the end of 2009. In November 2009, TCL announced that it had formed a joint-venture with the Shenzhen government to construct an 8.5-generation thin film transistor-liquid crystal display production facility in the city at a cost of $3.9 billion. In March 2010, TCL Multimedia raised HK$525 million through the sale of shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in order to fund the development of its LCD and LED businesses and to generate working capital. In May 2011 TCL launched the China Smart Multimedia Terminal Technology Association in partnership with Hisense Electric Co. and Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., with the aim of helping to establish industry standards for smart televisions.
In addition it has two affiliated business areas:
TCL has operations in more than 80 cities across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. It has 18 R&D centers, 20 major manufacturing facilities and over 40 sales offices worldwide.
.
TCL primarily sells its products under the TCL brand name in Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America and Russia
, under the Alcatel
brand in Europe (ex. Russia), and under the RCA brand in North America.
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
electronics company headquartered in Huizhou
Huizhou
Huizhou , historically known as Waichow, is a city located in central Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China. Part of the Pearl River Delta, Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shaoguan to the north, Heyuan to the northeast, Shanwei to the east, Shenzhen...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. In 2010 it was the world's 25th-largest consumer electronics producer and sixth-largest television producer (after Samsung
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is a South Korean multinational electronics and information technology company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul...
, LG
LG Electronics
LG Electronics is a global electronics and telecommunications company headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea. The company operates its business through five divisions: mobile communications, home entertainment, home appliance, air conditioning and business solution...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Panasonic and Sharp
Sharp Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first...
).
TCL comprises three listed companies: TCL Corporation (SZ.000100), which is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Shenzhen Stock Exchange
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of the People's Republic of China's two stock exchanges, alongside the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is based in Shenzhen, China...
, and TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings, Ltd. (HK.1070) and TCL Communication Technology Holdings, Ltd. (HK.2618), which are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in Hong Kong. It is Asia's third largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalization behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and fifth largest in the world...
.
TCL's current corporate slogan is "The Creative Life".
History
The company was founded in 1981 and incorporated in 1985 as TCL Telecommunication Equipment Co Ltd. It began manufacturing consumer electronics for the Chinese market during the 1980s, and began to sell overseas in the 2000s. Though a state-owned enterpriseGovernment-owned corporation
A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
, TCL was established as a joint venture with several Hong Kong-based investors.
In July 2003, TCL chairman Li Dongsheng formally announced a 'Dragon and Tiger Plan' to establish two competitive TCL businesses in global markets ("Dragons") and three leading businesses inside China ("Tigers"). In November 2003, TCL and Thomson SA of France announced the creation of a joint venture to produce televisions and DVD players worldwide. TCL took a 67 percent stake in the joint venture, with Thomson SA holding the rest of the shares, and it was agreed that televisions made by TCL-Thomson would be marketed under the TCL brand in Asia and the Thomson and RCA brands in Europe and North America. In April 2004, TCL and Alcatel
Alcatel
Alcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
announced the creation of a mobile phone manufacturing joint venture. TCL injected 55 million euros in the venture in return for a 55 per cent shareholding. In May 2005 TCL announced that its Hong Kong-listed unit would acquire Alcatel's 45 per cent stake in their mobile-phone joint venture for consideration of HK$63.34 million ($8.1 million) worth of TCL Communication shares.
In June 2007 TCL announced that its mobile phone division planned to cease using the Alcatel brand and switch entirely to the TCL brand within five years. In April 2008 Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is a South Korean multinational electronics and information technology company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul...
announced that it would be outsourcing the production of some LCD TV modules to TCL. In July 2008 TCL announced that it planned to raise 1.7 billion yuan ($249 million) via a share placement on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to fund the construction of two production lines for LCD televisions; one for screens of up to 42 inches, and the other for screens of up to 56 inches. TCL sold a total of 4.18 million LCD TV sets in 2008, more than triple the number during 2007. In January 2009 TCL announced plans to double its LCD TV production capacity to 10 million units by the end of 2009. In November 2009, TCL announced that it had formed a joint-venture with the Shenzhen government to construct an 8.5-generation thin film transistor-liquid crystal display production facility in the city at a cost of $3.9 billion. In March 2010, TCL Multimedia raised HK$525 million through the sale of shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in order to fund the development of its LCD and LED businesses and to generate working capital. In May 2011 TCL launched the China Smart Multimedia Terminal Technology Association in partnership with Hisense Electric Co. and Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., with the aim of helping to establish industry standards for smart televisions.
Operations
TCL is organised into four business divisions:- Multimedia
- Communications
- Home Appliances
- Techne Electronics
In addition it has two affiliated business areas:
- Real Estate & Investment
- Logistics & Services.
TCL has operations in more than 80 cities across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. It has 18 R&D centers, 20 major manufacturing facilities and over 40 sales offices worldwide.
Products
TCL's primary products are TVs, DVD players, air conditioners, GSM and CDMA mobile phones, personal computers, home appliances, electric lighting, and digital mediaDigital media
Digital media is a form of electronic media where data is stored in digital form. It can refer to the technical aspect of storage and transmission Digital media is a form of electronic media where data is stored in digital (as opposed to analog) form. It can refer to the technical aspect of...
.
TCL primarily sells its products under the TCL brand name in Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, under the Alcatel
Alcatel
Alcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
brand in Europe (ex. Russia), and under the RCA brand in North America.