Toshiba Reorganizes Video Recording Equipment Business

14 March, 2001


Tokyo--Toshiba Corporation today announced a reorganization of its video recording equipment business that will bring domestic VCR business operations, such as development and design of products and sales and marketing under the umbrella of the Visual Media Network Division of Toshiba's Digital Media Network Company. The business is currently handled by Toshiba Video Products Japan Co, Ltd., which will effect the transfer in the period up to October 1.

The trend in Japan's video recording equipment market is toward digitization, with recent products including D-VHS VCRs, DVD video recorders and HDD video recorders. The market for analog VCRs, while still at 6,200,000 units and 120-billion yen a year, is down in size and expected to shrink further.

Singapore-based Toshiba Video products Pte., Ltd. has handled Toshiba's global management development and sales of VCRs since April 1996, while its Japanese subsidiary, Toshiba Video Products Japan Co, Ltd., has handled product development and sales in Japan. This structure has brought the business to profit and assured efficient global management.

However, in anticipation of the digitization of video products in Japan, Toshiba has decided to unify all operations in its video recording equipment business, so as to develop integrated strategies for analog and digital products, avoid duplication of product development and marketing activities, and assure optimized deployment of management and personnel resources.

The Digital Media Network Company's Visual Media Network Division is Toshiba's main engine for driving all aspects of its visual products business, and it will absorb Toshiba Video Products Japan Co, Ltd. which will be liquidated after the transfer of the business. Toshiba Video Products Pte., Ltd. will continue to take the lead in the world market for analog VCR.

Outline of Toshiba Video products Japan Co, Ltd.

Incorporation January 1996; started operation in April 1996
Location Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Capital 2 billion yen
Sales 24,900 million yen (forecast for FY2000)
Representative director Akihiko Tsuda
Number of employees 79 (as of March 2001)

Outline of Toshiba Video products Pte., Ltd.

Incorporation February 1995; started operation in April 1995
Location Singapore
Capital 47 million Singapore dollar (about 3,200 million yen)
Sales 390 million Singapore dollar (forecast for FY2000)
Representative director Taishu Kanaoka
Number of employees 68 (as of March, 2001)


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