Acer 2010 Annual Report Download - page 9

ACER INCORPORATED 2010 ANNUAL REPORT
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COMPANY IN GENERAL
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1976 • Acer was founded under the name Multitech,
focusing on trade and product design.
1978 • Established the Microprocessor Training
Centre, training 3,000 engineers for Taiwan’s
information industry.
1979 • Designed Taiwan’s first mass-produced
computer for export.
1981 • Acer manufacturing operations were
established in the Hsinchu Science-based
Industrial Park, Taiwan.
• MicroProfessor-I debuted as Acer’s first
branded product.
1982 • MicroProfessor-II was unveiled as Taiwan’s
first 8-bit home computer.
1983 • First company to promote 16-bit PC products
in Taiwan.
1984 • Acer Peripherals, Inc. (now BenQ Corp.)
and Multiventure Investments, Inc. were
established.
1985 • A c e r L a n d, Tai w a n’s f i r s t a n d la r g e s t
fra n chise d c o mputer retai l c hain was
founded.
1986 • Beat IBM with 32-bit PCs.
1987 • The Acer name was created.
1988 • Acer Inc. launched IPO.
1989 • TI-Acer DRAM joint venture with Texas
Instruments was formed.
1991 • Introduced ChipUp™ technology – world’s
first 386-to-486 single-chip CPU upgrade
solution.
1992 • Created the world’s first 386SX-33 chipset.
• Stan Shih introduced the Smiling Curve
concept.
1993 • Developed a 64-bit performance-enhanced
I/O and CPU architecture to link MIPS RISC
CPUs with Microsoft® Windows®NT.
1994 • Introduced the world’s first dual Intel®
Pentium® PC.
1995 • The popular Aspire multimedia PC brought
Acer closer to the consumer electronics
market.
1996 • Announced its commitment to providing
fresh technology to be enjoyed by everyone,
everywhere.
1998 • As official IT Sponsor of the 13th Asian
Games in Bangkok, Acer introduced the
world’s first PC-based management system
for a major international sporting event.
1999 • Aspire Academy was set up in Aspire Park to
help managers of Asian firms and MNCs with
offices in Asia to improve their organizational
and leadership effectiveness.
2000 • As part of Acer’s latest re-engineering, Acer
split off its OEM business unit to create
Wistron Corp., an independent design and IT
manufacturing company.
2001 • Adopted a new corporate identity to reflect
the company’s commitment to enhancing
people’s lives through technology.
2002 • The Product Value Labs were inaugurated
to enhance Acer’s customer-centric focus,
and integrated technologies that add value to
customers’ lives.
• TravelMate C100 was the first convertible
Tablet PC available in the worldwide market.
2004 • Launched a new Folio design for notebooks,
featuring pure functional simplicity, smooth
curves and subtle elegance.
• BusinessWeek selected Stan Shih as one of
the “25 Stars of Asia.”
• Acer Founder Stan Shih retired from the
Group.
2005 • J.T. Wang assumed the position of Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, while Gianfranco
Lanci stepped into the role of President of
Acer Inc.
• Launched Ferrari 4000, the first carbon-fiber
2.1 Brief Account of the Company
2.1.1 Founded: August 1, 1976
1976 – 1986 Commercialized microprocessor technology
1987 – 2000 Created the Acer brand name and went global
2001 – 2007 Transformed from manufacturing to a marketing and sales company
2008 – beyond Enhancing worldwide presence with a new multi-brand strategy
notebook available in the worldwide market.
• A series of Empowering Technology products
were unveiled.
• Became the worldwide No. 4 vendor for Total
PCs and notebooks.
• Became the No. 1 brand in EME A and
Western Europe for notebooks.
2006 • First-to-market with a full line of Intel®
Centrino® Duo mobile technology notebooks.
• Became a Sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari.
• Celebrated its 30th anniversary.
• Acer AT3705-MGW LCD TV became the
world’s first digital TV to pass Intel® Viiv™
technology verification.
• Became the No. 3 notebook and No. 4
desktop brand worldwide.
2007 • Acer readies for Windows Vista™ with full
range of Vista-certified LCD monitors.
• S et the tre nd i n pro d u ct d e sign w ith
new Aspire Gemstone-design consumer
notebooks.
• Completed the merger of Gateway, Inc.
• Announced its joining as an Olympic
Worldwide Partner for the Winter Olympics
in Vancouver 2010 and Summer Olympics in
London 2012.
• Became the No. 2 notebook and No. 3
desktop PC vendor worldwide.
2008 • Announced the acquisition of E-ten and plan
to enter the smart handheld market.
• Launched the new Aspire Gemstone Blue
notebooks, the fir st to feature full HD
widescreen 18.4” and 16” LCDs, Blue-Ray
Disc™ drive, and latest generation Dolby®
Surround sound.
• Aspire One was launched as Acer’s first
mobile internet device, and won the Japan
Good Design award for quality design.
• Ranked No. 3 for Total PCs and No. 2 for
notebooks worldwide.
2009 • Launched the Aspire Timeline notebooks –
thin and light with all-day battery life.
• BusinessWeek named Acer among the “10
Hottest Tech Company of 2009.”
• Voted Reader’s Digest gold-medal Computer
TrustedBrand in Asia for the 11th consecutive
year.
• Announced its first netbook based on the
Android operating system.
• Taiwan’s M inistr y of Ec onom ic Af fairs
p r e s e n te d G i a n f r a n c o L a n c i w i th a n
Economic Medal for outstanding leadership,
and building the Acer brand name worldwide.
• Launched the high-end and stylish Liquid
smartphones.
• Became the world No. 2 company in Total
PCs.
2010 • Launched the green Aspire Timeline
notebook - free from PVC and BFR materials
• Provided and managed computing facilities
to ensure the smooth running of sports
events at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter
Games.
• C h a i r m a n J.T. Wa n g n a m e d i n T I M E
magazine’s annual list of 100 most influential
people in the world.
• Acer launched clear.fi, a new entertainment
experience allowing real-time sharing and
playing of multi-format content over multi-
platform devices.
• Integrated Founder Tech’s PC sales team and
channels in the China market.
• Succe ssfully issued US$50 0 million in
convertible bonds.
• Announced expansion to Chongqing in
western China, creating a new global IT
manufacturing center and Acer’s second
China base.
• Hosted the third annual CSR Forum with the
ultimate goal of building a sustainable supply
chain.
2011 • Emmanuel Fromont was appointed as the
president of Acer Pan America Operations.
• ICONIA – Acer’s dual-screen, multi-touch
tablet won the “Last Gadget Standing”
competition at Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas.
• Acer tablet PCs entered markets.
• CEO and Pr e s i d e n t Gianf ranco L a n c i
resigned and Chairman Wang resumed dual
position as company CEO.
• Jim Wong, former corporate senior VP
and president of IT Products Group was
appointed corporate president.