In the News @ InverterCentral.com
HITACHI Sony Toshiba to Merge into LCD Panel Businesses in 2015


TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp, Toshiba Corp and Hitachi Ltd will merge their liquid-crystal display operations using $2.6 billion of government-backed funds to fend off growing competition from rivals in South Korea and Taiwan.

The merged entity will be the world's largest maker of small panels used in smartphones and tablet PCs, leapfrogging leaders Sharp Corp of Japan and Samsung Electronics of South Korea and keeping at bay the likes of Taiwan's AU Optronics.

Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi were all making losses on small panels until last year so the merger will allow them to focus on their main operations.

However, the 90-percent government-owned fund, set up in 2009 to promote innovation in Japanese industry, could come under fire for using public money to prop up a volatile business in its biggest investment to date.

The Innovation Network Corp of Japan (INCJ) will invest about 200 billion yen ($2.6 billion) in the merged unit, taking a 70 percent stake. The three firms said on Wednesday that they will each take a 10 percent stake.

They aim to complete the merger by the spring of 2012 and list the merged entity, to be called Japan Display, by the financial year ending March 2016. By then, they intend to have boosted annual revenues to 750 billion yen from 570 billion yen expected in the year to March 2012.

A shakeup has been long expected because harsh competition and advances in technology require producers to make regular large-scale investment.

The three firms together controlled 21.5 percent of the market for small and medium-sized displays last year, larger than Sharp with 14.8 percent or Samsung Mobile with 11.9 percent, research firm DisplaySearch estimates.

While all three had been loss making in small panels until last year, they were expected to pull into the black in the current financial year.

They had hesitated about investing in a new line to compete against Sharp, which is due to receive a $1 billion investment from Apple Inc, or South Korean rivals LG Display and Samsung Mobile Display, which have supply agreements with key clients.

Sony has been weighed down by chronic losses in its TVs, Toshiba is speeding up plans to shrink its chip business, while Hitachi has been looking to distance itself from the volatile panel business to focus on infrastructure operations.

"Sharp is especially aggressive, and those who don't have a strong customer base may struggle, given that only a handful of smartphone and tablet makers are doing well," said Nam Dae-jong, an analyst at HI Investment & Securities.

Increasing demand from smartphone and tablet PC makers has prompted panel makers to shift their focus to smaller screens.

DisplaySearch says weighted average prices for mobile phone panels were 30 percent higher in the first quarter of 2011 compared with a year earlier.

However, analysts predicted the shift means the industry will be oversupplied next year.

"It's not a business that will likely provide stable profits in the mid- to long term," said Shigeo Sugawara, a senior investment manager at Sompo Japan NipponKoa Asset Management.

RESTRUCTURING

The INCJ is supervised by Japan's trade ministry, which had been criticized for not supporting Japan's chip and display industries in the early 1990s, a failure critics say allowed U.S. and South Korean firms to take the lead.

"The decision reflects a growing sense of crisis in Japan in light of its falling market share in the global chip and display markets," said a South Korean government official, who declined to be named.

The INCJ will lead the recruitment of new executives to run the company, while external directors will be drawn from Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi and INCJ.

How the three firms, which use two different types of display technology, will merge operations is unclear. The announcement did not include details of how they intended to deal with business overlaps either.

"The parent companies have found a most convenient buyer for their factories and staff," said Yoshihisa Toyosaki, head of Japanese research firm and consultancy Architect Grand Design.

"The assets of the merged entity will be huge. Without restructuring, there is no way that this company will win against Sharp, or rivals from South Korea, Taiwan, and eventually China."

Past investments by the INCJ, which can invest up to 900 billion yen with mostly government-guaranteed funds, include a 40 percent stake in Swiss meter maker Landis+Gyr to support Toshiba's $2.3 billion acquisition.

The new display company will focus on developing next-generation displays, including thinner organic light-emitting diode displays with higher resolution, the three firms said.

Hitachi has been in separate talks with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry, better known as Foxconn Electronics Inc, about a joint venture in LCD panels, sources have said.

Talks with the parent of Chimei Innolux Corp broke down when Hitachi failed to grab a key contract with Apple, an industry source said.

Ahead of the announcement, well-flagged by media, shares in Sony closed down 1.8 percent, Toshiba fell 2.4 percent and Hitachi rose 0.5 percent. The market benchmark Nikkei average ended flat.


Inverter Central Fraud Compaint Review InverterCentral.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

www.ripoffreport.com | InverterCentral.com (7) Total (3) Rebuttals (1) Refunded (2) No repsonse RipoffReport.com tried to extort $5000 to remove per report. Aug 14 2012 - Springfield, Virginia , NO Rebuttal Submitted - InverterCentral.com Title: InverterCentral InverterCentral.com world wide distribution kept our money and we didn't receive product and they won't process refund or return messages , Internet Body: This was an online order 13Mar2012 (LED computer screen). They contacted us to tell us they only had one in stock, and it was scratched. We told them we didn't want it, and they never sent it. We were instructed to process a refund online. Then this appeared in the tracking history (note it DID NOT ship!!!) We have requested this refund in April, May, July and August, with NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT! Rose ****** ********* Drive Springfield, VA ***** United States Shipped via USPS 1) M190A1-L07 LCD Panel 3/13/2012 9:42:32 PM I have contacted them repeatedly via telephone, email and their customer service forms. "Sarah" actually responded to one email, and told my husband "we now have more in stock...would you like us to send you one?" We told her NO and please process refund....still nothing. They have taken over $300 from us and have not refunded it, and we HAVE NOT received ANY PRODUCT! If they (or you) cannot settle this, we plan to take them to court, so any intervention would be helpful. Especially if this is their usual practice....they need to be stopped. I do have all correspondence and documentation of all my requests, as well as my bank statement which shows their taking my money! Please let me know if you can help. Nov 13 2012 - Honeywood, Other, NO Rebuttal Submitted - InverterCentral.com title: invertercentral.com IS ANYONE OUT THERE, NO ONE RESPONDING, Internet Body: What a good looking site www.invertercentral.com but does it still operate? I ordered goods and checked on the site that my order had been processed, all looked ok. (29 Oct 2012). Was told 9 days delivery, that time has come and gone but no goods and I'm not able to make contact with them. I've tried over six contact points, with no responce from anyone. Good buy money. Dec 16 2009 - Miami, Florida, Rebuttal Submitted - Inverter Central Title: Inverter Central invertercentral.com Do NOT buy from this company. I both a inverter for a Laptop and it does Not work (twice). They Do NOT sent my money back. Internet Body: BE CAREFULLL!!! This company is a fraud!!!They get their product back and DO NOT send your money back. Nov 5 2008 - Toulouse, Other, Rebuttal Submitted - Inverter Central Title: Inverter Central invertercentral.com refuses to refund money on returned non-working LCD panel Perry Maine Body: Author of original report: Inverter Central invertercentral.com fully refund money on returned non-working LCD panel Perry Maine Oct 30, 2008 - Santa Barabara, California, Rebuttal Submitted - InverterCentral.com Title: Invertercentral.com sold me the incorrect part and refused to refund the money or get me a correct part Perry Maine Body: I ordered a part from this company and asked for express shipping so I could do the repair quickly 20 dollars extra they sent a part that was different from the correct part displayed on their website. After 5 days I called to see where the part was and they said they would send it that day after three more days I got the part which as I mentioned was no good to me I sent it back and asked for a refund I put a confirmation on the return and found that they received the part back they refused to refund my money I don't have a part and was charged 139.98 to my credit card. I made a claim with my credit card company and am still battling with these people to get a refund this is 4 months after I needed the part which I did get elsewhere. This company does not deserve to ever have another client. They are crooked. Don, Santa Barbara, California U.S.A. Oct 24 2008 - Richmond, Texas, Rebuttal Submitted - Inverter Central Title: Inverter Central Www.invertercentral.com refuses to refund money on non-working LCD inverter Perry Maine Body: my laptop needs a new LCD Invertor -- my display goes dead after 2 minutes but works fine with an extermal monitor. I ordered a replacement after a live chat that they said based on the above problem it was my LCD invertor that was bad. I received it installed it and sill had the same problem -- dead display after 2 minutes. I got back to chat and got authorized to get a cross shipped replacement. I mail the 1st one back. The 2nd one arrived and my display still dies after 2 minutes. I got back to chat (live help link) and all they said they were not responsible for a mis diagnosed problem. but offered to send a 3rd one when i asked about a refund. They said it was possible to have sent 1 bad invertor but not 2. neither one worked as my display still goes dead after 2 minutes. their policy does say "If we cannot provide a working part in a timely fashion they will give a complete refund including shipping." both invertors they sent do not work as they go dead after 2 minutes. if i ship the part back they will only send another one out. but i wind up paying shipping -- so eventually the shipping will end up costing me more than the part. --I mentioned that I paid with a Credit Card and could dispute it there. their responce was "go ahead" -- but i am right now stuck with a their non-working LCD invertor. I want a refund but if i ship the part back at my expense they will just keep sending me more invertors. Aug 20, 2008 - Bonney Lake, Washington, Rebuttal Submitted - InverterCentral.com Title: InverterCentral.com Scammed me out of $120 Bangor Michigan Body: I purchased an inverter for my Alienware Laptop a couple months back for $110 + an additional $10 extra for faster shipping [from http://www.invertercentral.com]. I received the inverter but when I took it to the shop that was working on my laptop they had told me it was broken. I quicly sent it back to InverterCentral. I called a few days later and they told me that they received it and they would process my exchange. I called back a week later but they didn't pick up. I found that unusual considering they always picked up. I continued calling daily (up to 5 times a day) to find out information on my situation but they continued to ignore me. I e-mailed them and used Live Support daily to try and communicate with their employees hoping that it was a miss-communication issue of some bizarre sort. Whenever I had used "Live Support" I would be helped until I told them my situation and that is where they would ignore me. I got very upset as I don't have a lot of money.. I just wanted a refund and nothing more but to get out of this mess. They REFUSE to help and I would recommend NO ONE USE WWW.INVERTERCENTRAL.COM FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY! Looking forward to getting a response from the company and I will continue calling until I get back whats mine. It has been about 4 months and this is absolutely RIDICULOUS. Jake, Bonney Lake, Washington U.S.A.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Title: InverterCentral.com - InverterCentral are misleading and false advertising Comment 1: - Mar 20th, 2008 InverterCentral.com falsely advertises the following when your laptop screen stops working: Replacing the backlight inverter fixes the following symptoms 17 out of 20 Times: Dim Screen,Flickering Display, Wavy Lines,Blinking LCD Panel, Panel Buzzing,Shades of Pink, The problem I experienced where some of the above,but when I put in the new part it didn't fix my problem. If you look at the fine print buried on their website which they've cleverly hinden this is return policy: THERE IS NO REFUND FOR "deciding the part is no longer needed for any reason" Which means if it doesn't work, which is my case, you are screwed. My advice, buy a new monitor and if it includes the inverter, so much the better. In my case, the replacement screen with inverter included fixed my problem. Comment 2 - 2008-05-20 I also want to alert all with this company InverterCentral.com. I am from Brazil, I made the search for the site with the model and I bought a to invert, they ordered me the wrong device and now they disconnect me of the attendance on line whenever I try to argue. That company type has to be banished of the virtual world. Comment 3 - 2008-07-08 I ordered a panel during the month 02/2008. 10 days later, When I received it, it had 2 big scratches on, so I directly did a RMA on the InverterCentral WEB site and returned the broken panel by 'Coliposte' (Like 'USPS' in FRANCE). 1 week later I verified directly with the hotline that they have well received the panel that I returned to them and also that they were OK to replace it by sending me a new one. But the second panel never came. After having wait for 3 months during I contacted the hotline to many times (and heard to many lies), I decided to cancel the order and ask to be refunded (188 euros) because they can't provide me the panel I bought. Now, I have spent more than 1 month asking them to be refund, contacting them nearly all the days, lots of times by a day ! It's a real fight ! They know me and my problem of being refunded. I try to have an answer of 'Lisa', the supervisor who treat my problem, but she seemed to be in meeting all the time and when she isn't in meeting, answering me is not her priority. I just want to be refunded, I wait for more than 4 months, It's very difficult and even more for people like me who live on the other side of the Atlantic. I feel so tired and stressed by this story. Comment 4 - 2008-08-21 They have also refused to help me or even talk to me. I am out $120 to them and this is absolutely ridiculous. They sent me a broken inverter and refused to refund when they had the inverter in THEIR POSSESSION. Comment 5 - 2010-12-22 I ordered an inverter from this company on 12/17. The web site stated that the part was in stock and would ship th enext day. Now, 5 days later, the order status says they are waiting to receive the part from some other location, with the estimated ship date of 12/27. So, with my laptop dead for 10 days I apparently have to wait for them to ship the part via a slow llama from half way around the world. I guess "in stock" means that it's in stock somewhere, just not necessarily with them. Save yourself the trouble and order from another company. Comment 6 - 2014-06-13 YOU SHOULD SIMPLY WALK AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY, NO SIGN OF hq LOCATION, ETC ETC, NEVER REPLY TO QUESTION, TANKS HIGHLY FOR ABOVE REMARKS, IT HELPED ME TO TO FALL IN THE TRAP. tHERE ARE OTHER MORE SECURE COMPANIES ON THE WEB, EVEN IF MORE EXPENSIVE. Comment 7 - 2015-01-06 Email the company about an invertor got a reply ordered the invertor took longer for it to ship than they said. Got the invertor and its the wrong one the email address that they emailed me from is no longer any good. No reply's to emails from there web site or phone calls. Disputed with PayPal with no reply from vendor made a claim and they offer an 18.00 credit for something I didn't order. PayPal said to mail it back and then refused my claim so they got the part back and my money. DON"T buy from this company

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Rose - 8/14/2012 Title: InverterCentral InverterCentral.com world wide distribution kept our money and we didn't receive product and they won't process refund or return messages Body: This was an online order 13Mar2012 (LED computer screen). They contacted us to tell us they only had one in stock, and it was scratched. We told them we didn't want it, and they never sent it. We were instructed to process a refund online. Then this appeared in the tracking history (note it DID NOT ship!!! ) We have requested this refund in April, May, July and August, with NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT! Rose *************** Drive Springfield, VA ***** United States Shipped via USPS 1) M190A1-L07 LCD Panel 3/13/2012 9:42:32 PM I have contacted them repeatedly via telephone, email and their customer service forms. "Sarah" actually responded to one email, and told my husband "we now have more in stock...would you like us to send you one? " We told her NO and please process refund....still nothing. They have taken over $300 from us and have not refunded it, and we HAVE NOT received ANY PRODUCT! If they (or you) cannot settle this, we plan to take them to court, so any intervention would be helpful. Especially if this is their usual practice....they need to be stopped. I do have all correspondence and documentation of all my requests, as well as my bank statement which shows their taking my money! Please let me know if you can help. 12/16/2009 - Valtai Title: Inverter Central invertercentral.com Do NOT buy from this company. I both a inverter for a Laptop and it does Not work (twice). They Do NOT sent my money back Body: BE CAREFULLL!!! This company is a fraud!!! They get their product back and DO NOT send your money back. 8/20/2008 - Jake Title: Complaint / review / scam report InverterCentral.com Scammed me out of $120 Body: I purchased an inverter for my Alienware Laptop a couple months back for $110 an additional $10 extra for faster shipping [from http://www.invertercentral.com]. I received the inverter but when I took it to the shop that was working on my laptop they had told me it was broken. I quicly sent it back to InverterCentral. I called a few days later and they told me that they received it and they would process my exchange. I called back a week later but they didn't pick up. I found that unusual considering they always picked up. I continued calling daily (up to 5 times a day) to find out information on my situation but they continued to ignore me. I e-mailed them and used Live Support daily to try and communicate with their employees hoping that it was a miss-communication issue of some bizarre sort. Whenever I had used "Live Support" I would be helped until I told them my situation and that is where they would ignore me. I got very upset as I don't have a lot of money.. I just wanted a refund and nothing more but to get out of this mess. They REFUSE to help and I would recommend NO ONE USE WWW.INVERTERCENTRAL.COM FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY! Looking forward to getting a response from the company and I will continue calling until I get back whats mine. It has been about 4 months and this is absolutely RIDICULOUS. 3/12/2008 - David Title: Complaint / review / scam report Inverter Central Www.invertercentral.com refuses to refund money on non-working LCD inverte Body: Inverter Central Www.invertercentral.com refuses to refund money on non-working LCD inverte My laptop needs a new LCD Invertor -- my display goes dead after 2 minutes but works fine with an extermal monitor. I ordered a replacement after a live chat that they said based on the above problem it was my LCD invertor that was bad. I received it installed it and sill had the same problem -- dead display after 2 minutes. I got back to chat and got authorized to get a cross shipped replacement. I mail the 1st one back. The 2nd one arrived and my display still dies after 2 minutes. I got back to chat (live help link) and all they said they were not responsible for a mis diagnosed problem. but offered to send a 3rd one when i asked about a refund. They said it was possible to have sent 1 bad invertor but not 2. neither one worked as my display still goes dead after 2 minutes. their policy does say "If we cannot provide a working part in a timely fashion they will give a complete refund including shipping." both invertors they sent do not work as they go dead after 2 minutes. if i ship the part back they will only send another one out. but i wind up paying shipping -- so eventually the shipping will end up costing me more than the part. --I mentioned that I paid with a Credit Card and could dispute it there. their responce was "go ahead" -- but i am right now stuck with a their non-working LCD invertor. I want a refund but if i ship the part back at my expense they will just keep sending me more invertors. ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT - 8/7/2008 Inverter Central invertercentral.com Refuses to refund money on returned non-working LCD panel Body: I ordered a panel during the month 02/2008. 10 days later, When I received it, it had 2 big scratches on, so I directly did a RMA on the InverterCentral WEB site and returned the broken panel by "Coliposte" (Like "USPS" in FRANCE). 1 week later I verified directly with the hotline that they have well received the panel that I returned to them and also that they were OK to replace it by sending me a new one.But the second panel never came. After having wait for 3 months during I contacted the hotline to many times (and heard to many lies), I decided to cancel the order and ask to be refunded (188) because they can't provide me the panel I bought. Now, I have spent more than 1 month asking them to be refund, contacting them nearly all the days, lots of times by a day! It's a real fight! They know me and my problem of being refunded. I try to have an answer of "Lisa", the supervisor who treat my problem, but she seemed to be in meeting all the time and when she isn't in meeting, answering me is not her priority. I just want to be refunded, I wait for more than 4 months, It's very difficult and even more for people like me who live on the other side of the Atlantic. I feel so tired and stressed by this story... Nathanael Toulouse France

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

NamePros.com Jakey, Aug 21, 2008 Title: I just posted my story at ripoffreport.com and hopefully it will be processed soon for you all to read. http://www.invertercentral.com scammed me out of $120 and refuses to help me. [I have called over 30 times and sent numerous emails as well as let "Live Support" know about my issue] I highly doubt this is a miss-comunnication issue considering this is going on month 4. 6 months later and still no word from them. PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THEM FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY! Body: Bump. Don't want anyone else to get screwed over! Try to check them out at Scam Search. It's really hard to trust especially these days when scammers are very desperate. Technibble.com 16k_zx81 Aug 26, 2013 Title: invertercentral.com - eat my shorts Body: InverterCentral.com ordered an inverter 60 days ago via credit card. 30 days later checked email - nothing from them. no inverter. put through another order 30 days later no order, no email emailed invertercentral.com. twice. "where's my order"? No reply Rang them. Got their message service. Left a message with all details asking for a heads-up about what is going on. That was almost a week ago. Nothing. Just putting this out there for anyone who's considering dealing with them. Needless to say I will not be buying anything from invertercentral.com in future.