Strata-gee.com

Strategy in TECH...

You are here: Home / Archives for Industry Trends

Industry Trends

Yamaha Board Orders Major Restructuring; Revises FY2013 Forecast Downward to Break-Even

by Leave a Comment

BREAKING NEWS

Yamaha logo

Yamaha Corporation announced yesterday in Japan that its Board of Directors has ordered a major restructuring of the company’s domestic operations – in one case merging eight separate operating subsidiaries into one. The company has also released results for FY2013 through the third quarter ending December 31, 2012 and revised its annual forecast downward from a profit to break-even as a result of extraordinary charges related to the restructuring as well as sales and profit declines.

See details on the dramatic steps Yamaha’s Board is taking to try and improve efficiency & profitability… [Read more…] about Yamaha Board Orders Major Restructuring; Revises FY2013 Forecast Downward to Break-Even

In a Surprise Move – Sharp is Negotiating to Merge It’s Foundering TV Operations with China’s Lenovo

by Leave a Comment

 BREAKING NEWS

Photo of Sharp DisplayThe Nikkei is reporting today that Sharp Corp., the struggling Japanese flat-panel TV manufacturer, is in the final stages of negotiations to merge its television division with China’s largest personal computer manufacturer – Lenovo Group, Ltd. If successful, Lenovo could leapfrog the competition to become one of the largest television manufacturers in the world.

See more on this surprise announcement out of Japan… [Read more…] about In a Surprise Move – Sharp is Negotiating to Merge It’s Foundering TV Operations with China’s Lenovo

Ever-Optimistic, At CES 2013 the CEA Releases New Growth Estimates for Industry

by Leave a Comment

Photo of CEA/CES logoEvery year at the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, the organization releases new marketing data including forecasts about the future growth of the industry. According to the trade group, revenues for the electronics industry will reach $209.6 billion in 2013 – another new record and well over last years $204 billion level.

Even among participating companies in the CEA’s long-running marketing data collection program, there are often chuckles and whispered question marks about the accuracy of the aggregated forecasts. With one exception (2009), the CEA is famous for releasing optimistic growth forecasts that only go one way – up.

See what segments the CEA says you should be in, if you want big growth in 2013… [Read more…] about Ever-Optimistic, At CES 2013 the CEA Releases New Growth Estimates for Industry

10 Connected Technology Companies Debut The Internet of Things Consortium at CES 2013

by Leave a Comment

Internet of Things Consortium logoOne of the more interesting of the seemingly endless series of announcements at CES 2013 was one that heralded the formation of a new trade association called the Internet of Things Consortium (IoTC). Utz Baldwin, CEO of Ube, clued us in because, as we were to learn, Ube is one of the founding companies.

What is the Internet of Things Consortium all about? See more below… [Read more…] about 10 Connected Technology Companies Debut The Internet of Things Consortium at CES 2013

CES Overview – A Lot of Nervous Laughter

by Leave a Comment

strata-GEE's Show Report LogoToday is DAY ONE of the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) taking place in Las Vegas, NV and running through Friday. While many attendees arrived today, most of the press has already been here – lost in the desert – for the last two days…desperately searching for even just a drip…of innovation…

See what we know so far… [Read more…] about CES Overview – A Lot of Nervous Laughter

strat-GEE.com’s CES Survey Delivers One HUGE Shock

by Leave a Comment

Photo of CEA/CES logoAs most strata-GEE.com readers know, we conduct two short but insightful surveys every year. One survey is on readers’ intentions and plans for attending September’s CEDIA Expo. And the other covers the industry’s largest trade show – the International Consumer Electronics Show held every January in Las Vegas, NV – set to kick off next week on January 8th.

Conducted every year in December, our CES Survey has fallen into a fairly predictable response pattern. But this year something changed…something big…delivering us a huge SHOCK! [Read more…] about strat-GEE.com’s CES Survey Delivers One HUGE Shock

DDG Scrambles to Rebuild in Wake of Member Defections

by Leave a Comment

Digital Delivery LogoThe world of national distributor groups often resembles the ever-shifting sands of the desert – members change, vendors change, and its relative market position often changes. So it is a radically changed world in which the Digital Delivery Group (DDG) finds itself in the wake of last week’s announcement of the formation of a new national distributor group – Catalyst AV –  an announcement that prominently featured the names of four DDG distributors who apparently defected to the new competitor.

But DDG denies that these defections spell its doom… [Read more…] about DDG Scrambles to Rebuild in Wake of Member Defections

Wally Whinna’s New Catalyst AV Distributor Group: AVAD Part Two?

by Leave a Comment

Catalyst AV LogoThe industry is abuzz about the recently announced launch of a new national distributor group known as Catalyst AV. While the emergence of a new distributor group has been rumored for months, the formal announcement came out just last week. The genesis of the group, according to our sources, was a triumvirate of Wally Whinna (Chicago’s Allnet Distributing), Glen O’Brien (California’s Electronic Stockroom), and Mike Hench (Florida & Southeast’s Electronics Source).

Wally Whinna was one of the original partners of the Alliance of Value Added Distributors (AVAD), the most successful of the national distributor groups that was ultimately purchased by Ingram Micro several years ago. We spoke to Whinna about his latest venture.

Is Catalyst AV really just AVAD, part two?… [Read more…] about Wally Whinna’s New Catalyst AV Distributor Group: AVAD Part Two?

Reps: Are They On the Right Track? Or Have They Run Off the Rails?

by 13 Comments

Photo of Railroad TracksOn Tuesday last week, much like any other day, after arriving at my office I powered up my computer and began wading through the usual 100-150 emails that greet me every morning. Some of these are client-related emails, some are personal, but most are press releases or announcements. On that day, however, one in particular caught my attention – it was from Richard Glikes of Azione and it included a link to a video which was…remarkable.

This press release caught my attention not because it was from Azione, that is an common occurrence. Rather it caught my attention because it was from Azione on a topic that I am not used to dealer buying groups concerning themselves with – sales representative companies.

Little did I suspect that this would be the beginning of a strange turn of events… [Read more…] about Reps: Are They On the Right Track? Or Have They Run Off the Rails?

Sharp Spike in Sharp’s Prospects – Said to Working with Hon Hai on Apple iTV

by Leave a Comment

Apple iTV Idea #3The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that unnamed sources are telling it that Apple has built and is testing a large screen, high definition television that it has worked closely with Asian suppliers to create. Most notably, these sources say that Apple worked closely with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn) – it’s leading iPhone/iPad supplier – and Sharp Corp. – the troubled Japanese television company.

Will Apple’s iTV save Sharp?… [Read more…] about Sharp Spike in Sharp’s Prospects – Said to Working with Hon Hai on Apple iTV