Despite fierce competition in the global LCD TV market, Taiwan-based LCD TV makers are using branding to help their business in North America, according to the companies.
Working with partner Syntax-Brillian (Kolin has a 12.5% stake in the US-based vendor), Kolin expects Syntax-Brillian Olevia-branded LCD TVs to capture 8% of the North America market this year, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
During the first quarter of this year, Olevia LCD TVs ranked ninth in the North America LCD TV market, Syntax-Brillian cited DisplaySearch as saying.
Kolin expects its shipments next quarter will total 180,000 units, up 64% from 110,000 units this quarter, the paper added. For the year, the company expects to ship 500,000 LCD TV to the US market, Kolin estimated.
TV vendor Vizio, which is affiliated with Taiwan-based Amtran Technology, aims to become one of the top five flat panel TV vendors (by revenues) in the North America market by the end of this year, up from its number seven position in the first quarter, company CEO William Wang said in early June. Amtran currently provides Vizio with 32- and 37-inch LCD TVs and 42-inch and 50-inch PDP (plasma display panel) TVs.
Sampo, which sells its Maxent-branded LCD TVs in North America, was also ranked as one of the top ten suppliers in the US market during the first quarter of this year, according to market sources.
Tariffs are a main reason most Taiwan-based LCD TV makers focus on North America, the sources added. Unlike Europe, where imported LCD TVs are imposed with a 14% tariff, LCD TV makers only need to pay a 5% tariff in the US market. North America accounts for about 28% of the global LCD TV market, according to DisplaySearch.
In addition, with US-based customers paying more attention to price than branding, Taiwan-based LCD TV makers are able to develop their own-brand business in the US market more smoothly, the sources added.
| Taiwan-based LCD TV makers strategy in NA market | ||||
| TV maker | Brand name | Product line (inch) | Status | US-based retailers |
| Kolin | Olevia | 20, 23, 27, 30, 32, 37, 40, 42, 47 | Syntax-Brillian brand | - |
| Amtran Technology | Vizio | 32, 37 | OEM/ ODM/ OBM | Costco, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart |
| Sampo | Maxent | 23, 32, 37, 42 | OEM/ODM/ OBM | BestBuy and Costco |
Source: companies, compiled by DigiTimes, June 2006.
| Taiwan-based LCD TV makers quarterly shipments (thousand units) | |||
| Company | 1Q06 | 2Q06(e) | 3Q06 (f) |
| Kolin* | 100 | 110 | 180 |
| Amtran | 100 | - | - |
Note: *To North America market only
Source: Chinese-language Commercial Times and companies, Compiled by DigiTimes, June 2006.



