Acer, Founder Announce Partnership Details
IT Time, 8/05/10
Beijing-based PC and peripherals manufacturer Founder Technology Group (600601.SH) has announced in a public filing that Acer (2353.TW) will take responsibility for operating the bulk of Founder's PC business, and that a number of related Founder departments will be moved to Acer China. Acer will license the right to use Founder's brand for no more than USD 70 mln over the next seven years, and will take over responsibility for brand planning, marketing, and supply chain management, among other functions, for Founder's PC brand. Acer has set a sales target of USD 2.5 bln for the China region next year.
Founder will use its PC product sales system, service team, product channels, and logistics management experience to sell Acer PC products and provide related services; meanwhile, Acer will receive the right to manage Founder's existing channels and channel partners and the right to provide products to business PC clients. Founder's Suzhou plant will continue production of PCs; the company's after-sales service network will also provide after-sales service for Acer products.
Founder will no longer engage in branded operations for PCs, and will terminate its brand-licensing agreement for PC products with the Founder Group. Founder will transfer all of the PC brands and related products covered by the agreement, as well as related IPR, to Acer.
Founder president Lan Ye will join Acer in the near future as GM of the new Founder PC brand unit.
According to a source inside Founder, the company will retain its major client and special industry departments owing to national policy restrictions that limit participation in bids for the military and other such areas to domestic enterprises.
Keywords: Lan Ye hardware marketing IPR Acer after-sales service PC Founder Technology Group sales target 600601.SH logistics computer branding M&A