Who Makes Hisense TVs And Where Are They Built?

Hisense TVs are a fairly recent entrant in the U.S. that caters to the budget TV segment. The brand has been quick in gaining momentum since appearing in the U.S. market in late 2015, largely due to its competitive pricing. In fact, Hisense has gained a significant market share by consistently shipping the second-most TVs after Samsung for most of 2023 and 2024 in the U.S., beating major TV brands like TCL and LG. So, who's behind this latest TV brand in the U.S. market, and where are they built?

Hisense, the now-second-biggest TV maker globally, traces its roots back to 1969 where it began as a radio manufacturer in Qingdao, China. It was around 1979 when Hisense stepped into making TVs, initially for the local Chinese markets. Hisense has been expanding in the global TV and home-appliance market for close to three decades, since starting out in South Africa in 1996. Let's look at Hisense production facilities and the group behind Hisense TVs.

Hisense operates its R&D headquarters in its Illinois-based branch. Additionally, Hisense has 30 R&D bases and 64 overseas offices around the globe, including North America, parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to cater to market specific needs. Hisense follows a similar strategy for its manufacturing plants with bases in China, Mexico, Slovenia, and South Africa.

The manufacturing base in China's Qingdao is a key component in the global supply chain, where the brand produces TVs for local consumption as well as for the Asian market. The South African manufacturing plant was Hisense's first outside-China production facility that focused on catering to the African market initially. Since stepping foot in South Africa, the company has been increasing its overall production capacity of TVs and household appliances. Hisense now has an annual production capacity of 10 million TV units from its South African production centers alone, helping the brand cater not only to Africa but also Britain.

Hisense acquired the Japanese TV maker Sharp's brand name and manufacturing facilities in 2015 to cater to the American market. The production facility acquired in the process in Rosarito, Mexico, is a vital piece in Hisense's rapid expansion.

The Slovenian manufacturing plant in Velenje is central to Hisense's European supply chain, with a production capacity of over 2.5 million TV sets a year.

Hisense TVs are produced by the Hisense group, under the current leadership of president Fisher Yu. While TVs have been a significant part of Hisense's product portfolio, the group makes a wide range of other home-appliances like washing machines, air conditioners, and refrigerators. 

Currently, the Hisense group owns several renowned household names such as Toshiba, Sharp, Changelight, Kelin Electric, ASKO, and more, offering a wide range of products to the consumers. Apart from adding variety to its product portfolio, the Hisense group also uses its subsidiaries to offer brand alternatives to common consumer groups, with brands like Sharp and Toshiba that cater to similar budget TV buyers in the U.S. 

The Hisense group has always been bullish about its internationalization and has been eyeing other key markets such as India to improve its global positioning. Additionally, the group plans on making Hisense TVs the leading TV brand in the U.S. with constant investments in its Mexico-based production facility.