TV-Set Market Return by GE

General Electric Co. is getting back into the television-set business by forming a partnership with a Taiwan company to launch GE-branded high-definition TV sets.

GE has a long history in the TV industry. GE made cathode-ray-tube TV sets from 1939 until 1987, and then licensed the GE brand to TV sets made by Thomson SA of France from 1987 to 2007.

GE and Tatung Co. of Taiwan said they had formed a joint venture, General Displays & Technologies LLC, that plans to make two million HDTV sets annually, or 1% of the 200 million units sold world-wide, when it begins production in 2009.

The companies hope eventually to capture 5% to 10% of the roughly $200 billion global TV-set market.

Peter Weedfald, president of North America and global chief marketing officer for the joint venture, said it intends to be a “premium brand” that will be “very competitive with current leadership brands.” The company will be based in Chino, Calif., and will produce some sets in Mexico.  Full article