Asustek and Gigabyte form joint venture
http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20060808PR203.html

When asked as to how the joint venture will affect Asustek's timeframe for spinning off its branded and manufacturing divisions by 2008, the leading motherboard maker declined to comment. Asustek estimates it will ship 60 million motherboards in 2006, up from 52 million units last year.
Donc Asustek a prevu de faire comme Acer il y a quelques annees.
Et comme tout gros groupe taiwannais Asustek a deja prevu un spin off, c'est a dire une une filialisation de diverses branches car l'entreprise est trop grosse et part dans tous les sens entre R&D, production OEM, production de marque Asus, etc. (des Xbox pour Microsoft, des iPod et PC portable pour Apple...). La creation de la coentreprise avec Gigabyte est le signe du debut du desengagement de Asustek ou du moins de la reduction de sa presence directe sur le marche de la carte mere, produit de base pour la compagnie.

With capacity support from Asustek, Gigabyte is expected to lower its production costs to compete against Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) and Micro-Star International (MSI), and avoid the potential of being acquired by Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry), which had sought ways to negotiate a merger with Gigabyte, according to industry sources. Asustek's monthly capacity for motherboards expanded to 20 million units in 2005.
Gigabyte qui est petit comparativement au geant Asustek prefere choisir sa destinee (du moins les dirigeants et les actionnaires) et eviter de se faire croquer par un autre.

The Commercial Times cited Goldman Sachs analyst Henry King, who attended the joint-venture announcement, as questioning whether Asustek would want really the "Gigabyte" brand name to become even bigger. The answer to such a question may become clearer after Asustek completes the spin-off of its own-brand manufacturing branch, noted the paper.
http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20060809PB201.html