The Chinese technological giant TCL bought 15% of the Radio Victoria actions, a historic manufacturer based in Tierra del Fuego, to produce and sell in Argentina televisions and cell phones for the main brands of its catalog. The agreement was signed at the end of last year and was confirmed to Clarín by Enrique Jurckowski, president of the Fueguina company, which produces TV, air conditioners and other appliances for the exclusive licenses he controls, including Hitachi, RCA, Kelvinator and also TCL.

While jurckowski did not give figures of the agreement, in the market they estimate that the investment would be around US $ 25 million, with the possibility of expanding it "to the extent that the local economy stabilizes," said the businessman. In fact, the company was renamed “Radio Victoria Tcl Argentina”, a clear sign that the new society is in the long term.

TCL has its parent home in China, employs more than 75,000 people in 80 countries and is considered the second largest television manufacturer in the world, behind Samsung. Last year he dispatched 28 million units and landed in Argentina 15 years ago to Radio Victoria. In cell phones, the colossus was buying several emblematic brands in disgrace, including the French Alcatel and the Americans Palm and Blackberry, with the intention of competing in the western markets. "Chinese brands are not easy for globalization," says Jurckowski.

The TCL movement contrasts with the difficulties facing Huawei, the brand that has just moved to Apple from the second place in the global cellular ranking. After a strong advertising investment, the company did not obtain the expected results and last September the production (had a contract with Newsan) and is looking for a local partner to continue in the market. Another case is Xiaomi, another thriving brand of that same nationality, which analyzed the possibility of landing in the country, without success.

The old relationship between TCL and Radio Victoria climbed positions. "Before we were boyfriends and now we got married," jokes jurckowski, heir to one of the founders of the family rooting company. On the investment, the entrepreneur clarifies that "we do not associate with capital, we are a healthy company. For us, the objective is to access the latest technological innovations through TCL," he added.

Radio Victoria has a long trajectory. Born in 1947 for the impulse of two family groups, the firm was first consolidated as an electronic importer until 40 years ago, in 1978, when they decided to settle in Tierra del Fuego to take advantage of the tax benefits of the promotional regime. Today it has 685 direct employees, “430 of which works in the factory, complete jurckowski.

The agreement did not surprise the industry. Many, even were aware of the negotiations, which began in the middle of last year. "Radio Victoria transnationalized," plays Federico Hellemeyer, president of the Afarte, the camera that groups the Fueguinas terminals. For Hellemeyer, the agreement ended up closing last October, after the formal procedures required for such an association.

Both TCL and Radio Victoria are betting on local football. In the first case, the Chinese brand sponsored first as Independiente and Rosario Central teams, since December 2017. Another example is Radio Victoria, which promoted its flagship seal, Hitachi, on Velez's shirt.

With the agreement, TCL is committed to winning a presence in the Argentine market in two of the most dynamic categories: TV and cell phones. In the case of telephones, the company is committed to Alcatel, whose models mainly point to the low range. "That's where we feel more comfortable to compete," interpreted Martín Cricco, the director of Alcatel.

Clarin.com