The quiet Asianisation of growing parts of the US computer industry continues apace, and in the latest development, Samsung Electronics Co is looking at bankrolling personal computer major AST Research Inc, whose balance sheet has been painfully overstretched ever since it bought Tandy Corp’s big computer manufacturing business. That acquisition in retrospect looks to have been a deal too far for AST, and Computer Reseller News hears that Samsung is in talks with the Irvine, California company that could lead to the South Korean conglomerate paying between $80m and $100m for a 20% stake in AST. Samsung is one of AST’s biggest component suppliers, and such an equity relationship could give AST keener prices on components and the muscle to sign long-term contracts with other suppliers on improved terms. AST, which had to close one of the major Tandy plants a few months back at the cost of 400 jobs, would provide Samsung with access to marketing channels in the US.
