JVC and Kenwood have integrated their management by establishing “JVC Kenwood Holdings Inc.,” which they’re calling JVC Kenwood HD, through a stock transfer.
On Oct. 1, JVC Kenwood HD became the parent that owns all JVC and Kenwood shares; the new company is listed on the Toyko stock exchange in place of the separate companies.
As previously reported, the merged companies hope to target their efforts in the car consumer electronics space for rapid growth and to better fend off rivals.
Kenwood was established in 1946 in Nagano, specializing in radio assembly and repair; according to a company history, it produced an advanced high-frequency coil by taking advantage of its location surrounded by mountains, where radio waves were weak. The high-frequency technology became the base of a business in FM tuners and amateur radios.
JVC, or Victor Company of Japan Ltd., traces its roots to the creation of the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1927. Innovations include Japan’s first TV receiver and the VHS video standard.
