Sharp unveils latest innovations in press launch

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos can look forward to something special from Sharp Philippines Corp. this year and beyond as the company presented some of its latest innovations during its press launch themed “Beyond Expectations” recently held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

These innovations that touch on advances in audio-video entertainment, lighting technology, healthier lifestyles, alternative power sources and after-sales service are intended to reinforce Sharp’s stature as one of the most formidable names in electronics worldwide. 

Key executives from Sharp Corp. Japan, led by Takashi Okuda, executive officer and general manager of the Global Market Development Group for emerging markets, Asia and Oceania, were on hand to walk the media through the company’s latest milestones.

Okuda said Sharp has a long tradition of product innovation its nearly 100-year history, thanks to the vision of its founder Tokuji Hayakawa, who wanted to create products “others want to imitate.”

Emphasis on green technologies

Sharp builds on its global corporate vision of contributing to the environment and health by focusing on products that are both energy-saving and energy-creating.

Among its key technologies are the Plasmacluster Ion technology and LED lighting. Plasmacluster technology contributes to a cleaner indoor environment as it inactivates and removes harmful airborne elements like allergens, viruses and molds. The technology works by releasing positive and negative ions that attach themselves to the bacteria’s surfaces to break them down.

Various test facilities in Japan and around the world have validated and confirmed the effectiveness of this technology in removing such hazards as SARS, corona virus, H1N1 human influenza virus, and H5N1 avian influenza virus.

To date, Sharp has sold over 30 million Plasmacluster units worldwide through its products like air purifiers, ion generators, air conditioners, refrigerators and even LED (light emitting diode) lamps.

LED lighting, meanwhile, has the potential for vast energy savings as this type of lighting has a long life, lasting as much as 40,000 hours for a single LED bulb, or the equivalent of around 40 ordinary bulbs.

While a typical bulb uses about 60 watts, the LED bulb consumes just 7.6 watts, which translates to energy savings of up to 80 percent, which is great news for Filipinos who endure the highest cost of per kilowatt-hour among five countries in Southeast Asia. LED lights also emit a cool ambiance because they have less infrared rays and less UV rays, and no mercury content.

Sharp has manufactured over 2.5 million LED lamps in Japan and has ambitious plans of rolling the technology out to more urban centers around the world.

The company’s Sakai factory alone already has 100,000 energy-efficient lighting fixtures, contributing to the reduction of about 17,750 tons of carbon dioxide reduction every year. 

Adding the fourth color

Sharp’s prominence also rests on innovations like the latest line of AQUOS LCD TVs, which feature Quattron technology, the first in the industry that incorporate a four-color (red, green, blue, yellow) system to deliver impressively advanced picture quality and maximum color precision.

Sharp’s new proprietary UV2A technology also pushes the boundaries of LCDs in terms of contrast, power efficiency and response time.

Harnessing sun power

The press launch was also the platform for Sharp to showcase its innovations in solar technology. In his presentation, SPC president and general manager Juntaro Shimamoto said, “Unknown to many, Sharp is a world leading solar company. In fact, we began developing solar panels in 1959, well before issues on global warming and dwindling fossil fuel supplies came out.”

The company’s strong commitment to developing this alternative power source enabled it to become the first in the world to achieve a cumulative total of two gigawatts of solar power production by the end of 2007, laying claim to having produced about one quarter of all solar power generated around the world. 

Sharp’s advanced solar panels are used in navigational systems, satellites, skyscrapers, villages, and various commercial applications worldwide.

Last March, Sharp inaugurated a new thin-film type solar cell plant, with an annual production capacity of one GW, in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture in Japan.

Servicing with excellence

Established in 1982, Sharp Philippines has cultivated a network of 191 branches and service centers, one of the biggest in the industry. It also takes pride in having a fast response time of 12 hours for repairs, subject to certain conditions. It also does field and shop repairs and same day service.

Shimamoto said, “Just as we delight our customers with our breakthrough technologies, we also delight them by caring for them long after they have purchased and used our products.”

For this reason, Sharp is the only consumer appliance brand so far to receive the Gold Seal of Excellence Award from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

It has also won Consumer Welfare Champion and Cream of the Crop awards. Moreover, DTI has accredited Sharp as a Consumer Welfare Desk for resolving consumer issues and complaints while taking full consideration of consumer rights.