Who are Samsung?

[sstylianou1976]

I thought I post info on each make so that everyone will know where they are from and what they do. Using Wikipedia here is the info for each make:

'The Samsung Group is composed of numerous South Korean businesses including Samsung Electronics. It is helmed by Chairman Kun-hee Lee. The name "Samsung" means "three stars" or "tristar" in Korean. Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-chul.

History

1950s - 1980s

* 1953: Changhee Cho founded Samsung trading company in Kyoto ([YPM])
* 1953: Samsung starts sugar production, which has since been spun off into the CJ Corporation.
* 1958: Samsung starts insurance business.
* 1963: The first Shinsegye department store opens in Gwang-ju.
* 1965: Samsung starts the Joong-Ang Ilbo daily newspaper, which is no longer affiliated with the company.
* 1969: Samsung Electronics was founded.
* 1974: Samsung Petrochemical and Heavy Industries were founded.
* 1976: The company was awarded an export prize by the government as a part of the country's development program.
* 1977: As a result of this export prize, Samsung Construction emerged. In addition, Samsung Shipbuilding is formed.
* 1982: Samsung establishes a professional baseball team.
* 1983: Samsung produces its first computer chip: a 64k DRAM chip.
* Towards the end of the 1980's, Samsung pushed its efforts in petrochemicals and electronics

The 1990s and present

The 1990s saw Samsung rise as an international corporation. Not only did it acquire a number of businesses abroad, but also began leading the way in certain electronic components. Samsung's construction branch was awarded a contract to build one of the two Petronas Towers in Malaysia in September 1993 and the Burj Dubai in 2004, which is set to be tallest structure ever created by mankind.

Compared to other major Korean companies, Samsung survived the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 relatively unharmed. However, Samsung Motor Co, a $5 billion venture was sold to Renault at a significant loss. Most importantly, Samsung Electronics (SEC) was officially spun-off from the Samsung Group and has since come to dominate the group and the worldwide semiconductor business, even surpassing worldwide leader Intel in investments for the 2005 fiscal year. Samsung's brand strength has greatly improved in the last few years, despite scandals and political intrigue.

Considered a strong competitor by its rivals, Samsung Electronics (SEC) expanded production dramatically to become the world's largest manufacturer of DRAM chips, refrigerators, flash memory, optical storage drives and it aims to double sales and become the top manufacturer of 20 products globally by 2010. It is now one of the world's leading manufacturers of plasma displays and next generation mobile phones. Due to its involvement in many fields, Samsung is involved in many legal controversies, such as patent infringements against other companies like Fujitsu, who claim to have created plasma display technology first. Samsung has also faced controversy in Korea for its anti-worker policies, although such claims are widely disputed.

Samsung Electronics saw record profits and revenue in 2004, and in 2005, overtook Sony as one of the world's most valuable consumer electronics brands, and is now ranked #20 in the world overall.

By late 2005, Samsung had a net worth of US$77.6 billion.

Price fixing

On November 30, 2005 Samsung plead guilty to a charge it participated in DRAM price fixing collusion during 1999-2002 that damaged competition and raised PC prices. In a deal with prosecutors, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and its U.S. subsidiary, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., are to pay $300 million fine. As a result of this investigation, Hynix was to pay $185 million in 2005, Infineon: $160 million in 2004. Micron Technology, the US firm who initiated the case, cooperated with prosecutors and no fine is expected. Recently, a severely weakened Micron has teamed up with Intel to take on Samsung in the lucrative NAND flash business, although Intel has no desire to fully engage Samsung after Samsung drove Intel out of the flash business.

In October 2006 Samsung was again subpoenaed for pricefixing SRAM, along with Mitsubishi, Sony, Toshiba, and Cypress Semiconductor.

Sports sponsorship

Samsung owns the soccer team, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, in South Korea.

Samsung signed the second biggest sponsorship deal in English football history with Premiership Champions Chelsea FC. The five-year deal is estimated to be worth £50 million.

The company sponsors the Sydney Roosters in the Australian NRL rugby league 1995-1997 2004-present. It also sponsors the Melbourne Victory soccer club in the Australian A-League and Sport Club Corinthians Paulista in Brazil's Série A.

Samsung co-sponsors, along with Radio Shack, the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 NASCAR race.

Samsung sponsors Show Jumping's Nations Cup Super League from 1996.

Samsung is the Worldwide Partner for the Olympic Games since 1997.

Samsung has been active in endorsing video game competitions, serving as a sponsor for the World Cyber Games and the professional gaming team, Samsung Khan

Subsidiaries of the Samsung Group

Electronics industries

* Samsung Electronics
* Samsung Electro-Mechanics
* Samsung SDI
* Samsung Corning
* Samsung SDS
* Samsung Networks
* Samsung Corning Precision Glass
* Samsung Techwin
* Samsung Mobile Phones

Machinery and heavy industries

* Samsung Heavy Industries
* Samsung Techwin
* Samsung Engineering

Chemical industries

* Samsung Total
* Samsung Petrochemicals
* Samsung Fine Chemicals
* Samsung BP Chemicals

Financial services

* Samsung Life
* Samsung Fire
* Samsung Card
* Samsung Securities
* Samsung Investment Trust Management
* Samsung Venture Investment

Retail services

* Samsung Corporation
* Samsung Plaza

Engineering & construction

* Samsung Constructions
* Samsung Engineering

Entertainment

* Suwon Samsung Bluewings
* Everland
* Samsung Lions
* Samsung Khan
* Hotel Silla
* Seoul Samsung Thunders

Others

* Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology
* Samsung Economic Research Institute
* Cheil Communications (No 1. Ad agency in Korea)
* S1 Corp.
* Renault Samsung Motors
* Samsung Cheil Apparel
* Samsung Medical Center
* Samsung Manpower Association
* Samsung Culture Association
* Samsung Welfare Association
* Samsung Media Association
* Samsung Hoam Association'


Regards,

sstylianou1976

[McDude]

Some interesting info. I didn't realise samsung were that branched out into various businesses. Thanks m8