Sharp's 80th anniversary was greeted by the end of Japan's "bubble economy," which brought about a sudden worsening in the business climate. The company responded by working to strengthen its management structure, putting the customers' interests first, and developing innovative new products and technologies that would ensure continued growth in the 21st century.
Getting Ready for the Next Generation of Technology Completion of the Makuhari and New SLE Buildings
This year, the Makuhari Building was completed in Chiba Prefecture. Serving as a development base for multimedia products, it is also a monument commemorating the 80th anniversary of the company's founding and a new symbol of Sharp.
A new building was also added to SLE in the UK, strengthening Sharp's global R&D system even further. In addition, new international cooperative technical agreements were signed, covering key devices and areas where future growth is anticipated.
Manufacturing and Marketing Systems for the New Age
Marketing System Geared to the Retailer
Sharp's domestic marketing functions were regionally reorganized into two companies: Sharp Electronics Sales Corporation and Sharp LiveElectronics Corporation. The active growth of large chain stores and advanced new products such as HDTV brought about significant marketing shifts. This reorganization was intended to provide better and more efficient support for retailers' specific requirements.
The Next Manufacturing System
In addition to completing the new Fukuyama No. 3 Plant, a facility for manufacturing the most advanced VLSI chips, Sharp began the redevelopment of the Yao Plant as a facility for advanced electric home appliances. Work on a new air conditioner plant had also begun.
Overseas in May, we established Sharp Thebnakorn Manufacturing (Thailand) (STTM), a color TV plant in Thailand, and Sharp Shanghai Air Conditioning Systems Co., Ltd. (SSAC), a joint company for the manufacture and sale of air conditioners, in Shanghai, China's largest commercial city. SSAC, Sharp's first manufacturing base in China, started operations in August 1994.
Putting the Customer First
In 1992, in commemoration of the company's 80th anniversary, Sharp launched the "STAR 21" program, a new concept in corporate creativity. The program was yet another example of Sharp's awareness of its corporate responsibility, and the importance it places on the interests of society and the happiness of each and every one of its employees. In order to enhance customer service and satisfaction to the fullest extent possible, the program also supported Sharp's efforts to lead the new technological fields of the 21st century.
HDTV Comes to the Home
In April, Sharp released a 16:9 widescreen, ultra-high-resolution HDTV with 1,125 scanning lines, more than twice as many as on conventional TVs. Previous HDTVs had cost as much as four million yen, but at just a million yen, the new Sharp model won fans who could now enjoy the luxury of high-definition television at home.
PV-F1 at Data Show
In September, at the Data Show in Harumi, Tokyo, Sharp introduced the PV-F1 electronic organizer with pen-based operation, which proved extremely popular among young business people.
Birth of the LCD ViewCam
At the October Osaka Electronics Show, Sharp unveiled the LCD ViewCam, ushering in a new era in video cameras. The ViewCam's "shoot, watch, and enjoy" proved the most popular attraction at the entire show, with the Sharp booth overflowing with people anxious to try out this revolutionary product for themselves.