"This is really a win-win situation, both for Thomson and the Rental-Purchase Industry
Timothy Shannon
National Manager Consolidated Specialty Sales

Thomson announced today a Memorandum of Understanding with that of China’s TCL, the leading multimedia consumer electronic products company in China, to form a joint venture company named TCL-Thomson Electronics, for the development, manufacturing and distribution of television sets and DVD players in Europe, North America and Asia.

The new company will license with Thomson for its brand names and intellectual property and contract with Thomson for services in the European and American Markets such as industrial design, brand management, sales and marketing, distribution and logistics.

TCL-Thomson Electronics will benefit from the leading market position in the United States through the RCA brand.

"This is really a win-win situation, both for Thomson and the Rental-Purchase Industry. This puts Thomson in a position to maintain its competitive advantages as a leading supplier of electronics to the rental-purchase industry", said Timothy Shannon, National Manager Consolidated Specialty Sales, of Thomson Inc. (RCA/GE).