David RichardsEXCLUSIVE:Harvey Norman Execs Fly To China To Cut Toshiba TV Deal
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Harvey Norman is trying to secure the rights to sell Toshiba TV’s made in China, their aim is to go up against the popular Hitachi TV’s being sold by JB Hi Fi and NARTA members.
Toshiba who are currently exiting the consumer notebook market, quit the Australian TV market two years ago, at the time they were selling budget TV’s via several discount retailers.
According to sources in China, Amrit Lall, a buyer for Harvey Norman is in China this week trying to cut a deal with Skyworth a manufacture of budget TV’s.
Lall has told Skyworks executives that he wants Skyworth to produce “premium” Toshiba TV’s that Harvey Norman can sell up against Hitachi branded TV’s that are designed in Japan, some top end Hitachi models are manufactured in Europe.
Among the range being discussed are 65″ and above Ultra High Definition TV’s.
Last year Toshiba sold a shareholding in their white goods manufacturing operation to Skyworth in the wake of a $2 billion accounting scandal at Toshiba.
At the time Toshiba said that they hoped to tap Skyworth’s expertise in low-cost operations to better compete in various markets.
It’s not known at this stage whether Harvey Norman will be asked to also sell Toshiba branded appliances.
Earlier this year the Skyworth Group moved to take over Toshiba’s Consumer Products operation in Indonesia where the Toshiba branded TV’s will be manufactured.
Neither Harvey Norman or Amrit Lall have commented for this story however a Skyworth source has said that they are confident that a deal with Harvey Norman is iminent.