I think the author overplayed Frank Berto's importance. A multi million $ business doesn't depend on one critic in one magazine from a single market. Shimano is the single most pivotal cause of Suntour's demise. Shimano did to Suntour what Suntour did to most of the European bicycling industry.
SIS and freehubs for mtb and road were so far ahead of the curve, nobody could catch up.
Back then, almost all sub $1,000 road bikes used Shimano 105 (1050-55) to the point of nausea. That one group launch did more to solidify their dominance by huge profits. Love or hate it, but it's been a one-horse race ever since.
The reason for that is Shimano wouldn't sell their SIS systems to OEMs except as a package, so companies that once would e.g. spec one brand derailleur, another brand's brakes, and another's hubs, and so on had to buy all Shimano if they wanted SIS.