Audio Video News

Last week, JVC Americas announced that it has consolidated its projector operations—both JVC-branded projection systems and Hughes-JVC-branded systems—into JVC Professional Products Company, and will develop and market all future projection systems under the JVC brand. The company says that this consolidation will result in the creation of a new Visual Systems Division, effective next month. JVC says it hopes that the reorganized company will grow its projection-display business by more than 15% in the year 2000.

In 1992, JVC and Hughes created Hughes-JVC Technology Corp., a joint venture "dedicated to the task of cultivating light-valve technology for consumer and industrial use." The partnership quickly resulted in the development of the Image Light Amplifier (ILA). In 1995, JVC acquired a controlling interest in Hughes-JVC, and developed the first Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier (D-ILA) projector for the professional and industrial market.

JVC says that under this reorganization, overall category management, as well as sales and marketing functions, will be conducted out of JVC's Wayne, New Jersey headquarters, and that the company has established a new JVC Digital Image Technology Center in Carlsbad, California as its North American hub for continued R&D. JVC's Masaharu Mannen states, "By streamlining our organization in this fashion, we will significantly increase the efficiency of our sales and marketing efforts, while continuing our longstanding tradition of developing cutting-edge new technologies for a wide range of industrial, professional, and consumer applications."

As part of the consolidation, JVC says it will bring all sales, marketing, service, and technical support operations into the Visual Systems Division under the umbrella of JVC Professional Products Company, effectively dissolving former subsidiary Hughes-JVC Technology Corp. The primary brand and marketing management of projectors will be transferred to JVC. In the past, both Hughes-JVC Technology Corp. and JVC Professional Products Company have marketed similar products; this reorganization will eliminate the "Hughes" designation from the JVC brand.