<January 22, 2012> Just days after news reports of the formation of a strategic partnership between Osaka, Japan-based Onkyo Corporation and Nashville, Tennessee-based Gibson Guitar Corporation – a new report by the Nikkei says that Onkyo has now formed yet another new strategic partnership with Teac Corporation. While details are sketchy, apparently the two reached an agreement this past Friday, January 20th. [Read more…] about Though Ink Not Yet Dry on Gibson Deal, Onkyo Launches Another Partnership with Teac
Brands
End of an Era, Onkyo Halts Production of Loudspeakers in Japan
<January 22, 2012> On Thursday, the Nikkei said it had learned that Onkyo Corporation has decided to cease production of loudspeaker systems in Japan. This decision ends several decades of domestic production of a product category in which Onkyo not only had a great reputation for quality, but also leading market share. [Read more…] about End of an Era, Onkyo Halts Production of Loudspeakers in Japan
Onkyo & Gibson CEO’s Give the ALERT the Inside Scoop on their New Partnership
Gibson Guitar Becomes Exclusive U.S. Distributor of Onkyo & Integra Brands
<January 18, 2012> As one of a select (and very small) group of reporters invited to a hastily-arranged private audience with the CEO’s of both Gibson Guitar Corp. and Onkyo Corp. to discuss their recently announced strategic alliance, I was intrigued. The interview was held on a custom Gibson tour bus literally and figuratively…as the Gibson CEO clearly drove the discussion. [Read more…] about Onkyo & Gibson CEO’s Give the ALERT the Inside Scoop on their New Partnership
Sony Decides to Stop Sleeping With the Enemy; Breaks Off Samsung Partnership
<December 28, 2011> Multiple reports from The New York Times, Reuters, the Nikkei and others say that
Sony Corp. has decided to pull out of its joint venture with Samsung called S-LCD Corp. Launched in 2004, the JV manufactured LCD TVs in South Korea for both partners and was Sony’s attempt to catch up with the rest of the industry after its disastrous decision to stay with analog sets as everyone else turned to flat panels. [Read more…] about Sony Decides to Stop Sleeping With the Enemy; Breaks Off Samsung Partnership
Lenbrook President & CEO Miller: On a Mad Mission? Or Simply Misunderstood?
<June 1, 2011> Lenbrook America Corporation President and CEO Dean Miller began with an apology. In a May 20th email communication with BEACON editor Ted Green, Miller apologized for his lack of responsiveness, saying that until he read last month’s BEACON he was unaware that attempts had been made by its editors to contact him. Miller, it seems, was on an aggressive two-week spin through Europe to attend a Tivoli event in Italy, a Munich high-end show in Germany, and finally a Lenbrook International distributor show.
See more on our interview with Lenbrook’s Dean Miller… [Read more…] about Lenbrook President & CEO Miller: On a Mad Mission? Or Simply Misunderstood?
Have Tech Industry Trends Rendered Reps Irrelevant?
<May 18, 2011> The specialty segment is still buzzing about the decision by Lenbrook earlier this month to hire Dean Miller and terminate their entire U.S. sales force of independent sales representatives. The story, originally run last week in the BEACON, [ See: Lenbrook Lunacy? Or Crazy Like a Fox? Market Reacts to Recent Moves ] caused an explosion of email messages and telephone calls to the ALERT’s offices and there appears to be no shortage of comments…except from Lenbrook America, who has not yet returned multiple messages left by the ALERT’s editor.
Distress and dire predictions pour in… [Read more…] about Have Tech Industry Trends Rendered Reps Irrelevant?
Lenbrook Lunacy? Or Crazy Like a Fox? Market Reacts to Recent Moves
One Rep Stands Up for Specialty
<May 12, 2011> The specialty market is reacting to the announcement last week that Lenbrook America has hired Dean Miller as President/CEO and will dismiss its sales representative network, its sales manager, and take the sales process direct hiring regional sales managers. And at least one of the affected representatives, Peter Dyroff of Jarmac, went public with his reaction, sending a letter to all Jarmac dealers that has virtually gone “viral” throughout the specialty industry.
The specialty formula…
[Read more…] about Lenbrook Lunacy? Or Crazy Like a Fox? Market Reacts to Recent Moves
Russound Hopes to Beat the Odds with Acquisition of Colorado vNet; But Some Question Deal
<October 7, 2009>Newmarket, RI-based Russound announced this past Monday that it had signed a letter of intent to purchase recently shuttered Colorado vNet in a deal for which terms were not disclosed and that is expected to close by the end of October. The deal was a surprise to many in the industry as Colorado vNet recently announced the collapse of discussions with multiple potential suitors causing the company to cease operations, lay off staff, and close their doors in late September. [Read more…] about Russound Hopes to Beat the Odds with Acquisition of Colorado vNet; But Some Question Deal
