The Sharp company is a story of Russian failure. About the brand Sharp (Sharp) Whose company is which country?

Electronics manufacturer Sharp has started restructuring its European division. The company has formed strategic alliances with local firms and announced job cuts, all of which will cost the Japanese vendor tens of millions of dollars.

Sharp will transfer part of its audiovisual business to Slovak TV manufacturer Universal Media Corporation (UMC). He will be able to produce and sell televisions under the Sharp brand in Europe. At the same time, the Japanese company undertakes to help its partner in the design and development of products.

As part of the deal, which is scheduled to close before the end of this year, Sharp will sell a TV factory located in Poland to UMC. The Slovak company is going to increase the number of workers at this plant and return the once high production volumes there.

Founded in 2003, UMC has representative offices in China, Great Britain, Germany and Switzerland. The company, which employs more than 700 people, produces electrical products under the brands Blaupunkt, UMC, Eternity and E-motion, with Sharp soon to join them. In addition to televisions, UMC will sell audio equipment under the brand of the Japanese manufacturer.

It was previously reported that the right to produce and distribute Sharp TV products in Europe could be obtained by the Taiwanese company TPV Technology, which in 2011 took control of Philips' unprofitable television business. As Reuters notes, Sharp is the fifth largest TV manufacturer, behind Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic.

Europe brings only 5% of revenue to Sharp's budget, so the company, struggling with losses, decided to focus on more profitable regions such as Southeast Asia, Nikkei writes. Previously, Sharp curtailed the production of solar panels in Europe, and now it is abandoning consumer electronics.

Sharp also entered into an agreement with the Turkish electronics manufacturer Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, which, according to the terms of the contract, will take over the partner's household appliances business. This will allow Vestel to produce and sell various household electrical products (microwave ovens, irons, etc.) using the Sharp brand.

While reorganizing its operations in Europe, Sharp will also cut about 300 jobs at its plants in the region. The transformation of the European business will cost Sharp 6.4 billion yen (about $58.7 million) - the company will deduct this amount from its quarterly profit. For the entire fiscal year, which will end at the end of March 2015, Sharp plans to write off approximately 10 billion yen ($91.7 million) at a loss due to the reform of its European operations.

Despite this, the company still forecasts annual net profit of 30 billion yen ($295 million). For the last fiscal quarter (April-June), the company recorded a net loss of 1.8 billion yen (about $17.4 million).

Sharp is one of the leaders in the production of household appliances. Not the last place in the line of manufactured equipment is occupied by refrigerators. They are characterized by original design and the highest quality. The Sharp company was founded by a young Japanese mechanic, Tokuji Hayakawa, from Tokyo on September 15, 1912. In 1989, the company released the world's first two-door refrigerator.

Sharp has truly achieved amazing success in the global electronics and home appliances market. The company's founding principles are creativity, sincerity and the application of advanced technology to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of life of people around the world. Sharp is actually constantly and quite successfully creating a new standard of living for the 21st century.

Sharp is one of the most popular, well-known and sought-after manufacturers of household appliances and electronics in the world. The list of products produced by this company can be listed endlessly. What is there: televisions, audio equipment, communication devices, and there are also refrigerators.

As for refrigerators, the model range from the Sharp company consists of many models with different dimensions and volumes, functional features and color schemes. Sharp refrigerators allow us to bring to life all our most daring design solutions.

Sharp was one of the first to use the No Frost system in its refrigerators. Sharp refrigerators comply with all international and Russian standards. They are of high quality and original design. The freezer compartment on all refrigerator models is located on top and has walls that do not require manual defrosting. There is a freshness zone, which occupies the largest volume in the refrigerator compartment. Thanks to the presence of this zone, products are kept fresh for a long time at zero degrees. Multi-compartment refrigerators can have up to four doors. Refrigerators and freezers come in a wide variety of colors. The Sharp company has existed on the Russian market since Soviet times, and during this period its products have gained enormous popularity among Russian buyers. Thanks to their high performance characteristics, Sharp refrigerators are highly reliable and very easy to use, which attracts Russian buyers.

All Sharp refrigerators use advanced technology. For example, there is a unique system for ionization and air purification, hybrid cooling systems, even chambers for heating food. The entire range of refrigerators is equipped with a No Frost system, air fresheners and freshness zones.

Gadget manufacturers

Sharp Corporation is a Japanese company that designs and manufactures electronic devices. By the spring of 2014, it already employed over fifty thousand people around the world. Its name was borrowed from the first invention of the company's founder - the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil, created by Tokuji Hayakawa. Previously, Sharp Corporation was also the fifth largest television manufacturer in the world - after, and.

Sharp was founded in the fall of 1912 when Tokuji Hayakawa opened a metalworking workshop in Tokyo. At that time, the future corporation was still called Hayakawa Kinzoku Kougyou. In 1912, Tokuji invented and patented a belt with a "Tokubijo" buckle, which could be attached without the need for additional holes on it. The success of this product prompted him to take up metal recycling. In 1915, he invented the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil.

Tokuji Hayakawa was born in Tokyo. Due to his difficult home situation, he was adopted into another family named Ideno. True, Tokuji himself did not know that he was an adopted child until he grew up. After second grade, he left primary school due to family poverty and became an assistant to a metal jewelry maker. Tokuji worked hard to earn the trust of his master, and at the same time improved his own skills and learned the basics of trade.

Although buckles have been used since ancient times for accessories such as shoes and armor, they only began to be used on men's belts in the 15th century, and on women's clothing only in the 19th century. Tokuji thought about the use of buckles from two points of view - practical and decorative.

When Hayakawa invented two types of buckles by 1912, demand in Japan for them also increased due to the fashion of the Wild West. True, Hayakawa and other artisans had never worn such clothes before. Tokuji was watching a silent movie when he noticed that one of the film's actors' belts had come undone.

It's funny, but this is what inspired him to invent a new type of belt that can be adjusted at your own discretion. As a result, a belt with a buckle was invented that could be fastened to any length without piercing it. The master for whom Tokuji worked admired his ingenuity and recommended that he apply for a patent. He also suggested the name “Tokubijo”, adding one letter to Hayakawa’s name (“b” from the word “belt”, that is, belt, belt). The first order for these belts with buckles was huge: 4,752 units.

In the fall of 1912, due to the pressure being exerted, Tokuji decided to open his own store. He hired workers and continuously fulfilled orders. Along the way, Tokuji worked to improve the production process and expand the business so that he could eventually open a large plant. Already in 1913, Hayakawa acquired a patent for an innovative water tap, and in 1915 he developed a prototype of a mechanical pencil, which he subsequently successfully sold for many years.

After this, he proved himself to be a brilliant manager when he expanded his electronics production and began producing radios, cassette recorders and televisions. Tokuji was also active in social welfare programs. He lived a long life and died at the age of 86. Hayakawa is also known as the recipient of a number of medals and awards.

As already mentioned, the Sharp company got its name due to the invention of the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil in 1915. Unfortunately, in 1923 this business was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake, which almost completely destroyed Tokyo, forcing the company to move to Osaka and begin work on the first generation of Japanese radios, which went on sale in 1925. Television production began in 1953.

In 1963, the first transistor calculator was developed, which was valued at $1.4 thousand. Its development lasted several years, since at that time the company had absolutely no experience in creating computing devices. Two years later, in 1966, Sharp introduced their first IC calculator, which cost about $1 thousand. In '69, the LSI calculator was introduced. It was the company's first pocket calculator and was priced at less than $300, making it extremely popular.

In 1973, Sharp released the first calculator with a liquid crystal display. In the 80s, the company collaborated with Nintendo, as a result of which it received licensing rights to the Sharp Nintendo TV in North America, as well as a number of other products. All of these devices are considered collector's items on the secondary market. One of the main inventors of LCD calculators was Tadashi Sasaki.

In 1997, the company's mobile communications division, Mobile Communications Division, created the world's first commercial one, J-SH04, which was released in Japan. Since 2000, Sharp has invested heavily in LCD panel factories. One of these factories, Sakai, is still one of the leading factories in the world. However, the financial crisis of 2008 led to a decrease in demand for LCD panels. In addition, in mid-2012, Japan experienced an almost complete transition to digital TV broadcasting. The Japanese government has also issued vouchers for digital TVs.

In 2007, the company acquired a controlling stake in Pioneer Corporation. In the summer of 2009, the two companies agreed to create a joint venture.

In the spring of 2012, the well-known Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn agreed to acquire a 10% stake in Sharp and half of the LCD displays produced at the Sakai plant. 2012 also marked the company's 100th anniversary, although it was Sharp's worst financial year. In the fall, the company announced job cuts. In 2014, Sharp was able to stem losses and managed to post a net profit during the first quarter.

The brand's main products include liquid crystal panels, solar panels, mobile phones, entertainment equipment, video projectors, multi-function printers, microwave ovens, air conditioners, cash registers, flash memory and so on. The first camera phone entered the Japanese market in the fall of 2000. The latest products also include an ultra-light laptop, personal digital assistant and AQUOS flat-screen TV.

The company produces consumer electronics products sold under the Aquos brand, mobile devices, microwave ovens, home theater and audio systems, fax machines, air purification systems and calculators. For the business market, Sharp also produces projectors and monitors for a variety of copiers and laser printers, in addition to electronic cash registers.

Sharp Solar is a supplier of silicon photovoltaic solar cells. In the first quarter of 2010, the company generated strong revenues from its solar photovoltaic systems business.

One of Sharp's most famous mobile devices is the 500SH. It refers to the company's third generation phones. The device is equipped with a 1.3 megapixel main camera and a front camera for video calls. It was a mid-class phone, capable of working 370 hours in standby mode and up to 4 hours in talk mode. It weighed 98 grams, had 20 megabytes of built-in memory, support for Email, Bluetooth and WAP.

The Sharp 703 model also belonged to the middle segment. It turned out to be a phone for 3G networks, equipped with all modern communication tools at that time. It also had a 1.3 megapixel main camera and a front camera for video calls. It had 8 megabytes of internal memory, as well as a slot for a micro-SD memory card. Support for WAP, Bluetooth and GPRS was provided. This device was followed by the 705SH and 770SH models.

The 880SH phone was made in a slider form factor. This thin device could already work in HSDPA networks. It was equipped with a 2 megapixel main camera and a front camera, as well as a slot for a memory card. The phone had a built-in FM receiver, video player and MP3 player. It was a fashion device with a thin black body and a sufficient amount of built-in memory. It had support for WAP, GPRS and Bluetooth. Like previous phones, it could synchronize with a personal computer.

The TM200 mobile device was the first GSM camera phone with a 2 megapixel camera and 8x digital zoom. It was a folding phone with various communication capabilities and 40-voice polyphony. There was also a built-in MP3 player.

The GX29 received very good reviews, although it was not too different from other Sharp mobile devices of the time. The phone appeared in 2006 and became a device for Vodafone. It was a thin clamshell with a 1.9-inch display diagonal and GSM support. The manufacturer also provided an external monochrome display.

In the fall of 2014, the company announced that the Slovak electronics company UMC was going to acquire its exclusive brand license, as well as its audio business and Polish factory. In turn, Sharp will support the development and development of UMC's television business under the Sharp brand. At the same time, Sharp announced an agreement with Vestel in Europe that Vestel would sell household appliances under the Sharp brand (refrigerators and microwave ovens made in China and Thailand). Sharp's remaining business in Europe will focus on the business sector, as well as multifunction printers and energy solutions.

Unfortunately, not everything in the history of Sharp's development went so smoothly - in particular, it was repeatedly caught in violations of antitrust laws. In the fall of 2008, the Department of Justice announced that Sharp had agreed to pay a criminal fine of $120 million. According to the indictment, the company participated in a conspiracy to fix the price of TFT LCD panels for computer monitors and laptops (2001-2005), Motorola Razr phones (2005-2006) and iPod from the company (2005-2006). That winter, the Japan Trade Commission forced Sharp to pay a $3 million criminal fine for conspiring to keep the price of Nintendo's LCD panels down.

In winter 2011, Sharp was ranked 11th in Greenpeace's Best Electronics Guide, which ranks 15 electronics manufacturers based on their practices and policies to reduce their climate impact and produce eco-friendly products.

The corporation's environmental record was summarized by Greenpeace as follows: "Sharp supports Japan's new renewable energy law, but has a poor record of sustainability in its operations." According to the Product Criteria, the company received a 3/10, where it was recognized for the energy efficiency of its products with the latest Energy Star standard.

In addition, it was said that CO2 emissions would be reduced by 2% per unit of production compared to the previous year, although a clear target was still not set. Public support for clean energy was expressed after the Japanese government promoted increased use of renewable energy. Sharp scored the lowest on some criteria, particularly for failing to address chemicals and commit to phasing out harmful substances.

It was also noted that the company has not taken the initiative to address the issue of conflict minerals and paper received from suppliers, thereby indirectly participating in illegal deforestation.

Sharp was the main sponsor of Manchester United football club from 1983 to 2000, and it was one of the most lucrative and longest-running sponsorship contracts in the history of English football. For seventeen years the Sharp logo was on United's clothing and during that time the team won seven Premier Leagues, five FA Cups, one League Cup, one European Cup Winners' Cup and one European Cup. In the summer of 2012, the company also became a sponsor of the UCI World Tour cycling team, which became known as Garmin-Sharp.

The Japanese company Sharp is a manufacturer of reliable and high-quality home appliances. Currently, Sharp occupies one of the leading positions in the world among manufacturers of the entire range of household appliances, which, in particular, include refrigerators.

history of the company

Consumers first learned about the Sharp brand in 1912. This happened after the very talented self-taught mechanic Tokuji Hayakawa proposed belt buckles that had no holes, as well as sliding bushings designed for umbrellas. The production of such products was initially established in a room resembling an ordinary barn. In 1915, Hayakawa invented and patented a mechanical pencil, which is still very popular today. His distinguishing feature was his ability to always remain sharp. This feature of the pencil prompted the inventor to name his company. Sharp (“sharp”) is a brand that is always ahead, at the very forefront of production and science.

Gradually Tokuji expanded his field of activity. And as a result, from a small business he came to create a large high-tech production. It is noteworthy that it was the Sharp company that launched one of the first assembly production lines in its country.

One of the dark pages of the company's history occurred in 1923. A strong earthquake completely destroyed the factory that produced mechanical pencils. The majority of the workers suffered and were left homeless. The tragedy did not escape Hayakawa either. His entire family died in the earthquake. However, the inventor did not give up. He restored his factory in a new location - in the city of Osaka. And by September 1924, the production of such popular ones was established. It is worth saying that the headquarters of the Sharp company is still located in Osaka.

In 1925, Hayakawa began producing radios. The company took a risk. The fact is that in those days Japan did not have its own radio broadcasting, and receivers were not in demand in its consumer market. However, everything soon changed. Radio broadcast networks covered the entire country, and receivers went wild. After such a victory for Hayakawa, even many skeptics recognized the entrepreneurial spirit of the former “pencilman.” This is, in fact, what happened. Over the past half century, the company has produced the first Japanese calculator and television, a stereo player with automatic disk rotation, a refrigerator and many other types of electronic products. All of them successfully withstand competition not only in the domestic, but also in the global market of household appliances.

Production of refrigerators

The first food storage unit was released by Sharp in 1952. At that time, it was not easy to break into the consumer market. The company had such a huge number of competitors that in order to interest the buyer, it was necessary to stand out from them. The company's specialists carefully studied the consumer market in order to determine the interests of housewives. As a result, in 1973 the company mastered the production of a large three-door refrigerator equipped with a special compartment for storing vegetables. The company's specialists developed this model after conducting a survey of 10,000 Japanese consumers. In 1989, the company introduced a Sharp two-door refrigerator. This device consisted of two separately located boxes. Each of them opened with its own door. In addition, the Sharp brand was one of the first to use the No Frost system.

Where are Sharp refrigerators made? Today, the company produces household appliances and electronics at 21 production sites located in thirteen countries around the world. Moreover, its staff consists of more than fifty thousand people. And the volume of annual consolidated revenue is at the level of 24 billion US dollars.

In Thailand, which is one of the countries where Sharp refrigerators are made, in 2013 they produced their ten millionth unit, which went to the market in countries located in Southeast Asia.

As for the Russian Federation, there are no Sharp production sites on its territory. There is only a sales representative office of the company, which has offices in some major cities of our country.

The advantage of Japanese refrigerators

It’s hard to imagine a modern apartment without various household appliances. An indispensable assistant for any housewife is a device that allows you to maintain the freshness of purchased products. Sharp refrigerators, without any doubt, will decorate any kitchen interior. At the same time, each buyer will find among the wide range of similar equipment the model that suits his taste and will match the color scheme of the kitchen. Sharp is a global innovator in the refrigerator market. For example, it has released models in which the doors can be opened from both the left and right sides, without even overhanging them.

Sharp refrigerators allow you to preserve food for a long time either fresh or frozen. Models of one- and two-chamber devices have been developed. Moreover, they all differ in design and capacity, volume and power, and the presence of certain functions. Which refrigerator will you choose? This will depend on personal preference.

Sharp refrigerators have many signature features. This includes an air flow ionization system, keeping vegetables fresh, etc. As for the prices for these units, they differ depending on the model. Thus, each buyer can choose exactly the refrigerator of this brand that easily fits into his budget.

The Sharp refrigerator deserves consumer reviews as a fairly spacious unit. The range of models includes appliances for every taste with two and three doors. But there is also an exclusive in this series. This is a Sharp multi-door refrigerator, with four sections that can be opened separately. Some of the models offered by the company have a volume exceeding 450 liters. At the same time, they remain energy efficient, which is important for buyers.

Design and sizes

Modern people pay great attention to the interior of the kitchen. And this is not surprising. After all, a lot of time is spent in the room where the whole family gathers. At the same time, despite all the variety of existing household appliances, the central place in the kitchen still belongs to the refrigerator. This device complements the entire design and emphasizes the individuality of the room.

Sharp refrigerators will be an excellent purchase for any consumer. With all the variety of models, no one will have problems choosing sizes. The company can offer both a compact appliance and a wide Sharp refrigerator with two doors that swing open in different directions. The last type, called Side by Side, is perfect for those consumers who do not like frequent shopping trips and buy food for future use. The only disadvantage of such a unit is its impressive dimensions. The wide Sharp refrigerator, according to customer reviews, gives reason to think about the place where it will stand.

Economical

How energy efficient are Sharp's refrigerators? The instructions supplied with these devices indicate their high class A. According to consumer reviews, savings from the operation of such a refrigerator are felt already when you first receive an electricity bill. LED lighting is also inexpensive. Despite the brightness, it is quite economical.

Use of innovative systems

The Sharp company is one of the first manufacturers of refrigeration equipment to use a fundamentally new method of storing food in its models. With No Frost, frost does not form on the walls of the internal chambers. Buyers highly appreciate the lack of need to defrost the product.

A proprietary development is a dynamic system that cools food in all corners of the refrigerator. This air flow allows you to constantly maintain the temperature selected on the display.

In addition, Sharp engineers have developed the following systems:

Plasmacluster, which saturates the air with ions and deactivates harmful microorganisms;

Hybrid cooling system that prevents the products from chaffing;

Dual Swing, which serves to open the doors depending on desire to the right or left;

- “dry” and “wet” zero zones, in which different types of products are placed;

Honeycomb Deodorize, which prevents the mixing of odors from food, allowing it to retain its original taste.

In addition, Sharp refrigerators use an antibacterial coating consisting of silver ions. Additional ease of use is provided by sensors that collect information about the operation of the unit onto a built-in microcomputer, which automatically adjusts the parameters if necessary.

Let's take a closer look at some of the innovative systems.

Zero chamber

Almost all Sharp refrigerator models have a Fresh Case. This is the so-called zero chamber, which the manufacturer specially designed for storing poultry, fish and fresh meat. The company's specialists conducted certain studies, noticing the fact that the freshness of products at a temperature of minus five degrees is lost faster than at zero. Moreover, the rate of spoilage at a lower temperature almost doubles. It is impossible to create such conditions in a freezer or refrigerator. Therefore, refrigerators began to be equipped with an additional zero chamber. It keeps food cool, but not frozen. This fact is very attractive to potential buyers.

A similar camera is available in all Sharp brand models. Place it in the upper part of the refrigerator compartment. This location is very convenient. The zero chamber has two compartments. One of them is “dry”, and the second is “wet”. The first is an area for maintaining freshness. In the “dry” compartment, poultry and meat can be stored for seven days, and fish and seafood for much longer. The storage conditions that are created in such a zone are close to the climate. Here the humidity does not exceed fifty percent at zero air temperature.

Vegetables, herbs and fruits are placed in the “wet” compartment. All these are kept fresh twice as long as in the refrigerator. The relative humidity in such a compartment is within ninety percent. This climate allows you to preserve all the taste of the product, as well as the vitamins and nutrients it contains.

New company offers

Today, Sharp “Standard Plus” and “Premium” are represented on the household appliances market. These are extremely spacious units that will allow you to store a large amount of food.

Such refrigerators have wide shelves without central partitions. This allows you to place any large dishes (baking trays, serving dishes, large salad bowls, etc.). Freezer capacity - 150 l. This is one of the most impressive volumes existing in modern refrigerators.

To improve visibility in the cameras, models are equipped with LED lights. This lighting is well diffused thanks to the glass base of the refrigerator compartment, which has a stylish chrome frame. This solution makes it possible to provide bright and uniform lighting even when the refrigerator is filled with food.

In addition to large space for storing food, the new models are easy to use and economical in energy consumption.

Modern design

New models of Sharp refrigerators have a front finish made of durable and high-quality glass. This allows the device to fit perfectly into the interior of any kitchen. At the same time, housewives do not need to worry about fingerprints. The refrigerator has extra-long handles (158.5 cm), which will allow both adults and small children to open the doors with ease.

Really big refrigerator

Which models deserve special attention from those consumers who want units with impressive volumes? This is a Sharp SJ SC59PVBE refrigerator. It can store a large number of products, and thanks to the use of innovative technologies, for a very long time.

The Sharp SJ SC59PVBE refrigerator has a total volume of 583 liters. Significant supplies of provisions can be stored in its freezer. Its volume of 150 liters fully allows this. Inside this section there is a shelf-separator made of tempered glass. There is also a double ice container. There are two more shelves on the inside of the freezer door. Put in the main operating mode, this section maintains a temperature of minus eighteen degrees. The freezing capacity is seven kilograms of food per day. The refrigerator is equipped with a No Frost system. Therefore, defrosting is not required.

The refrigerating chamber of the unit with a volume of 433 liters has four shelves made of high-strength glass. In addition, there are two plastic containers for fruits and vegetables. On the inside of the door of this model there are two long shelves, three shorter ones and one with a lid. Defrosting in the refrigerator compartment follows the same principle as in the freezer, that is, using the No Frost system. The antibacterial coating of the walls does not allow harmful microorganisms to multiply. This model also includes a zero chamber. You can store perishable food in it for a long time.

Sharp two-chamber refrigerators model SJ SC59PVBE are free-standing units. This allows you to place them anywhere in the kitchen that is suitable in size. The width of the unit is 80 cm. Its depth is 72 cm. Height is 185 cm. The color scheme of the model is beige or silver. Despite its impressive dimensions, the refrigerator is economical. Its energy consumption class is A+. The doors of the unit can be rehung at the discretion of the owners.