Innolux subsidiary CarUX has merged with Pioneer, with chairman and chief executive Jim Hung saying the new CarUX will deliver post-merger synergies through three 100-day phases and stressing that it is not designed as a place to coast.
Second "666" phase: CarUX and FOPLP take center stage
Hung said 2025 is a pivotal year for Innolux, as the company enters the second six-year phase of its "666 roadmap" for 2025 to 2030, aimed at breaking through structural limits and expanding its reach.
Hung stressed that transformation does not mean exiting the panel business, but redefining where Innolux's value lies. The new CarUX, formed after merging with Pioneer, along with fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP), will anchor this phase, as Innolux seeks to refresh a long-established business with new momentum.
The CarUX–Pioneer deal has drawn attention for its scale. Pioneer's 85-year legacy adds global reach, with the new CarUX pushing toward Tier-1 supplier status across Europe, the US, and Japan, positioning Innolux as a more international company.
Innolux chairman Jim Hung. Credit: DIGITIMES
Three phases, 100 days each
Post-merger, Innolux plans to roll out synergies in three 100-day stages. The first targets procurement, where higher combined purchasing volumes are expected to improve cost structures.
The second phase focuses on cross-selling. Hung said CarUX's strength in visual systems for leading European and US automakers will be complemented by Pioneer's audio capabilities, allowing both sides to cross-introduce products and customers.
The third phase centers on product development and service upgrades. Hung said this is the most challenging yet most valuable step and may extend beyond 100 days to unveil integrated visual-and-audio products to automakers and OEMs at CES 2027.
Building a team, not a marriage
Hung said the merger logic was to link each side's strengths rather than replace them, sharing details of the international bidding process behind the deal.
The process began as a global tender with multiple bidders, including Japanese firms. Beyond price, presentations mattered, with many competitors framing cooperation as a marriage or becoming one family.
Hung said Innolux took a different approach, telling Pioneer it was not there to talk about marriage, but to build a team. Families rely on care and tolerance, he said, while teams are defined by accountability, mutual support, and a shared goal of winning.
That direct and transparent stance resonated with Pioneer and helped seal the deal. Hung said mutual trust after the merger must be matched by high expectations, adding that despite Japan's lifetime employment culture, the new CarUX is not a place for retirement. He expects tangible synergies to emerge within a year.
Article translated by Levi Li and edited by Jerry Chen
