TCL Corporation

The TCL Corporation is a Chinese electronics manufacturer headquartered in Huizhou of Guangdong Province, southern China. TCL Corporation products include mobile phones, personal computers, home appliances, electric lighting, and digital media sold to domestic and overseas markets. TCL is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (Szse|000100) and Hong Kong Exchange as TCL Corporation and TCL International Holdings Limited (sehk|1070). The city of Huizhou owns much of the company while other investors include Phillips and Toshiba.

History

Founded in 1981, TCL began as a manufacturer of magnetic tapes. TCL developed rapidly during the 1990s becoming one of China's fastest growing companies with an average growth rate of 42.65% for the past 12 years. The company successfully restructured from a state-owned enterprise with help from international investors.

In 2003, it experienced a crisis of financial statement and failed to go public as a group company. However, that year the group also recorded a revenue of RMB 28.2 billion yuan ($3.5 billion USD),and a profit of RMB 0.57 billion ($70 million USD). A survey on most valuable brands in 2003, conducted by Beijing Brand Equity Evaluation Co Ltd. indicated that TCL is one of China’s most valuable brands with a brand equity of RMB 26.712 billion ($3.3 billion USD). In January 2004, TCL Corporation as a whole was officially listed.

Later in 2004, TCL set up a joint venture creating the TTE Corporation with France's Thomson Group, giving TCL control of the RCA brand and making it the global leader in television manufacturing. At the time, TCL was hailed as the first Chinese company to compete on the international stage with large international corporations.

Analysts cited the company’s willingness to cooperate with competitors as an asset. Investors in TCL include former competitors: Toshiba, Sumimoto, Kingsoft, Nanda, Pentel,and Schneider. In July 2004 TTE, officially started operation in Shenzhen. Also, in April 2004, TCL Mobile and Alcatel formed a joint venture to engage in mobile phone development, production, sales and services.

Recently, TCL has had difficulty due to price competition inside China. The Hong Kong-listed stock dropped 30% in 2004. Also in late 2004, Thomson surprised the market by announcing that it was taking a small stake in Konka Group, a TCL rival.

In late 2005, the Chinese unit of Philips Electronics purchased a 7 percent stake in TCL becoming the company's third-largest shareholder. As of the beginning of 2006, TCL has representative offices in 10 countries and is expanding in Vietnam, India and Germany. TCL has technology partnerships with Microsoft and Intel.

In August 2004, [http://www.alcatel.com Alcatel] set up a joint venture with TCL forming a new mobile business, [http://www.tctmobile.com/ TCL & Alcatel Mobile Phones Limited] (TAMP). TCL owned 55% of this joint venture. In May 2005, TCL signed a ten-year licensing agreement with Alcatel, and TAMP became a 100%-owned subsidiary of TCL.

TCL Group members

Multimedia Electronics SBU

Household Appliance Marketing Co.Ltd.

AV Business Department

Monitors Business Department

Muti-brands Sales Business Department

Rowa TV Business Department

TCT

TCL Mobile Communication Co.,Ltd

TCL&Alcatel Mobile Phones Limited

Digital Electronics SBU

TCL Computer Technology(Shenzhen)Co.,Ltd.

Hanlinhui Software Industry Co.,Ltd

Electronic University Online Distant Education Technology Co.,Ltd.

Home Electrical Appliances SBU

Air-conditioner Business Department

White Home Electrical Appliances Department

TCL Small Home Appliances Division

TCL Ruichi(Huizhou)Refrigeration Equipment Co.,Ltd.

Electrical SBU

TCL INT'L Electrical OBU

TCL Lighting Electrical OBU

TCL Industrial Electrical OBU

TCL Building Technologies OBU

Overseas SBU

TCL Vietnam

TCL Indonesia

TCL Russia

TCL Philippine

TCL Indian

TCL Bangladesh

Electronics & Components SBU

Huizhou Shenghua Industrial Co., Ltd

TCL Hyperpower Batteries Co.,Ltd.

ShenZhen ASIC Micro-Electronics LTD.

Strategic OEM SBU

TV Business PC

AV Business PC

Other Enterprises

TCL Cultural Development Co.,Ltd.

TCL Communication Equipment (Huizhou)Co., Ltd.

LG Electronics(Huizhou)Co.,Ltd.

Go.Video

TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings Limited

Trivia

TCL stands for "Today China Lion" or "今日中国雄狮" in Chinese. It roughly translates to China's modern lion. Since 2007, the meaning of TCL has been changed to "The Creative Life". [Source: Zhiyuan Shi, Oversea Marketing Department, TCL Communication Equipment (Huizhou) Co., Ltd.]

=References and external links=
* [http://www.tcl.com/ Official website] in Chinese
* [http://www.tcl.com/main_en/ Official website] in English
* [http://www.my-onetouch.com/ T&A Alcatel Mobile Phones official website] in English
* [http://www.eobserver.com.cn/english/readnews.asp?ID=38 Economic Observer]
* [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_51/b3913041_mz011.htm Businessweek]
* [http://www.corporateinformation.com/snapshot.asp?Cusip=C156UR400 corporate information]