Sharp

Sharp was founded in 1912 in Japan. The name comes from one of the first inventions of the founder Tokuji Hayakawa, 1915, the Ever-Ready Sharp Pencil, invented a mechanical pencil. From 1925 Sharp has produced crystal radios, tube radios from 1929. Since 1953 TV produced in series. In 1962, Sharp to build the first microwave ovens, and in 1963 started the mass production of silicon solar cells and photovoltaic cells. 1964 built Sharp one of the first transistor-based desktop computer, in 1969 the first computer with LSI circuits, the QT-8D, 1971, on the electronics of the QT-8D-based first portable electronic calculator EL-8 and 1973, the first LCD calculator. In the 1980s, Sharp was instrumental in the development of portable computers, not just for IBM-compatible laptops were the so-called programmable in BASIC pocket computers known. 1981 Sharp managed the mass production of laser scanning for a CD player.

Today, Sharp has offices in 30 countries and sells its products in 164 countries. The product range includes microwave ovens, hi-fi components, photocopiers, pocket and desk calculators, mobile phones, notebook computers and LCD technology. A well-known product, which is in Germany but not driven directly by Sharp, the Zaurus PDA line with embedded Linux operating system.
Since 1968, Sharp has a presence in Europe. At that time, the European subsidiary “Sharp Electronics Europe GmbH”, based in Hamburg, was founded. In 1986, founded a branch in Austria, since 1994, in Vienna for the Eastern European region (Central and Eastern European) responsible.

In fiscal year 2010 sales of Sharp entwirtschaftete 2.75 trillion yen. Sharp is a worldwide market share of 17% since 1999, one of the world market leader in the manufacture of solar cells and in the field of LCDs. (April 2007) Sharp was the end of 2007 a strategic partnership with Pioneer, to meet the rising cost of developing new products.