SHARP INNOVATES FOR EVOLVING ASEAN HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES

 

SHARP Strengthens ASEAN Business With New 2024 Product Line Up And Innovative Solutions For Consumers And B2B In Line With Its Theme Of A Simply Better Lifestyle

Bangkok, Thailand, 17 July 2024 – The ASEAN region and its population of 671.7 million people, has been earmarked as a growth market by SHARP Corporation (Sharp), a global consumer technology and business solutions innovator. Informed by the region’s evolving household trend, the brand recently previewed its new range of home appliances, TVs and Cocoro Home AIoT Home solutions at the SHARP SYNC UP 2024 regional showcase in Thailand.

 

“Sharp is invested for future growth in the ASEAN region. Our deep-rooted presence here drives our in-depth understanding of the consumer’s changing needs over the years. The Sharp brand continues to do well in this region thanks to the commitment and support of our partners and subsidiaries. In fact, being recognised as ASEAN’s number one brand in the refrigerator and microwave segments is a testament to consumer trust in SHARP’s innovation excellence. We are looking forward to excite the ASEAN region with a host of new products and solutions for new ways of living and working to curate a simply better lifestyle,” said Tomoki Tamura, the BU Vice President, Global Business and General Manager, Head of Global Kitchen Appliance Business Unit, Smart Appliances & Solution BU, at Sharp Corporation.

The SHARP SYNC UP 2024 regional showcase is an active response to the region’s evolving consumer lifestyles with a preference towards sustainability, focus on innovation, insistence on convenience, and the need for a more personalised and family-oriented lifestyle.

Delegates comprising Sharp subsidiaries and business partners from around ASEAN and globally gathered in Bangkok, Thailand for the two-day showcase. Featured segments comprised of five categories namely Smart home (cleaning, air solution, and kitchen appliances), New Energy Concept, Smart Entertainment, Smart Lifestyle and Smart Office.

 

Innovating Sustainable Smart Home Living For Smaller Households and Single Lifestyles

The ASEAN region is the third-most populous region in the world, which also holds promising economic opportunity. Over the years, the region has registered a steady decrease in the average household size. With smaller households, key considerations among consumers include affordability, sustainability and personalised designs. Catering to this trend, Sharp aims to create a healthy and sustainable living environment through its new line-up of 2024 products.

Leveraging on the combined power of AI and IoT, Sharp featured its Smart Centralised AIoT Management System at the showcase. The system creates a harmonious ecosystem within the home, demonstrated through the Cocoro Home application, which connects and controls home devices such as SHARP’s refrigerators, air conditioners, washers, air purifiers, and even Sharp’s Healsio Superheated Steam Oven. The preview gave the ASEAN region a taste of Sharp’s mission to create a people-oriented world through AIoT-driven devices and services.

Designing For Healthier and Busier Lifestyles with Greater Personalisation

Food waste accounts for one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and generates 6% to 8% of greenhouse gases annually. With this in view, Sharp showcased its new 400 Litre (L) class Two-Door Mega Freezer with larger Freezer Room measuring up to 10L to 20L more than its peers in the segment. (Refer to factsheet for more info)

In line with the region’s appreciation for sophisticated designs and technology, Sharp also premiered its one-of-a-kind microwave drawer. Driving market interest through its space saving feature, Sharp offers customers versatility with options to install the appliance under the kitchen counter, in an island, or below a wall oven to free up the counter space. Pioneered by Sharp and well-adopted in the west with over 1milion units sold in the United States, this ergonomic design is now making its debut in the ASEAN region.

Indoor air quality is key among consumers especially in caring for a household of mixed ages and health concerns. In this regard, Sharp’s ‘Healthy Living With Pure Air’ section put a spotlight on its position as a pure and clean air expert. Its renowned Plasmacluster Technology, proven by research to suppress 99% of the airborne viruses and bacteria, is the foundation of its air products. At the showcase, Sharp introduced the World’s first 2-in-1 air conditioner with a built in Air Purifier, called the Airest

Another highlight in the home appliances category was the Ractive Air SR-9, SHARP’s high-powered, super silent and lightweight stick vacuum, weighing a mere 1.7kg.

Aligned to contemporary lifestyle preferences, Sharp’s upcoming line up of beauty and personalised products aims to delight today’s discerning urban consumer. For example, its new Plasmacluster Hair Dryer now features a sensing technology to control air temperature in addition to a positive and negative ion emitter for better moisturisation and protection on hair.

Sharp is also bridging the gap in the market with mini washers as a second and third washer to complement every household’s main washer. Sharp’s unique 3kg mini washer are affordable and comes in two variants, a floor standing unit and a wall-mounted unit, made possible with advanced technology.  Ideal for compact living spaces, these space-saving mini bodies fit well with condominiums in cities where spaces for installing washing machines are limited and makes cleaning delicate or small clothing for baby’s or children effortless.

 

SHARP ASEAN Audio Visual Business Backs The Trend

SHARP continues to capitalise on growth opportunities by bridging the gap with affordable yet high quality mid-range 4K TV offerings. Two new variants presented in Thailand recently included the New AQUOS XLED GU8500 which features SHARP’s intelligent new generation Mini LED panel and new AQUOS TRU GN7000 (True Resolution Upscale).

“ASEAN continues to an important market for the SHARP Audio Visual business. Together with our subsidiaries, we are committed to strengthening our presence in the market with continuous investment in research and development for higher value and cutting-edge innovations in the Audio Visual segment. The SHARP SYNC UP event is an example of our effort to strengthen our ASEAN business by encouraging cross-collaboration and harmonising partnerships among our subsidiaries. This in turn elevates the value of SHARP as a brand and our products and services to consumers,” said Sharp Corporation Head of Global TV, TV Systems BU, Hiroyuki Yoshida. Head of Global TV, TV System Business Unit.

 

Empowering Smart Businesses In ASEAN 

The ASEAN region is an economic powerhouse. Its recent push to create a strong, integrated digital economy to compete more effectively in the global economy and provide greater opportunities for its citizens has been captured in negotiations around the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement negotiations.

On a mission to empower businesses in ASEAN, Sharp’s innovations in B2B solutions, namely its Smart Office, Smart Retail, Smart factory also took centre stage at the Sharp SYNC UP showcase.

Sharp’s 50-year legacy in the multifunction printers (MFP) is supported by an extensive business network covering up to 76 countries with 135 main bases each with extensive business customers and channel partners. Not resting on its laurels, the brand continues to shake up the segment with the introduction of a New A3 colour low-speed MFP At Sharp SYNC UP.

Currently a major business pillar contributing 25% of Sharp’s total sales, the B2B business includes a range of digital solutions for various applications. These include industrial applications for factory solutions that integrate robotics and automatic guided vehicles (AGV) solution and business applications including retail solutions, Sharp’s BigPad interactive whiteboards and the latest generation hyperlight Portégé X40L Dynabook premium AI PC.

 

Advancing The New Energy Agenda In ASEAN

SHARP’s plan to strengthen its new energy business in ASEAN sparked much interest among delegates as the brand spotlighted innovations in the field of solar energy. For over 60 years, the brand has been a global driving force in the research and development photovoltaics technologies, commonly known as solar cells. From the Ume satellite of 1976 to the world’s first docking satellites, Orihime and Hikoboshi, Sharp solar cells have been installed in Japanese satellites as an energy source which functions under the harsh conditions of Space.

“We will expand the introduction of solar power systems to areas beyond Thailand and Vietnam to include the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, among others, contributing to carbon neutrality against the backdrop of the growing trends of ESG investments and SDGs," said Sharp Solar Solution Asia, CEO, Hideyuki Inada

 

#SharpThinkPossibilities

 

FACTSHEET ABOUT SHARP INNOVATIONS

No	Solution	Description
Category: Consumer Appliances
1	SHARP Two-Door Mega Freezer	Powered by SHARP’s energy saving J-Tech inverter technology, it enables top class energy savings and larger freezing capacity at the same time, which reduces food waste and trips to the grocery store, fitting better into busy lifestyles while contributing to the SDGs.   Designing with ASEAN’s mid-size household in mind, Sharp currently holds a strategic position in the market with the widest range of mega freezer refrigerators from 300L litres to 600L.
2	Sharp Microwave Drawer	It integrates seamlessly into modern kitchens and features a user-friendly yet sophisticated sensor cooking system that adjusts cooking time and power levels for healthier and easy meals at home. Messy spills are easily avoided through the design’s Easy Wave Open door system activated via motion sensor while its large cooking capacity is a plus for mid to large size households, and especially accessible by users regardless of height or mobility.
3	Airest (2-in-1 air conditioner with a built in Air Purifier)	At the showcase, Sharp introduced the World’s first 2-in-1 air conditioner with a built in Air Purifier, called the Airest. Promising consumers cooling comfort and safe and pure air, this award-winning innovation comes with Sharp’s signature energy-saving J-tech inverter for today’s eco-conscious household.
4	Ractive Air SR-9	Sharp re-engineered this vacuum to perform with high suction power at a much lower noise level from 52db to 60db at strong mode based on JIS standard compared to peers in the market which stand at a minimum of 75 to 82db. The result is a more versatile cleaning experience and sustainable living environment with minimum noise disruption at home.
5	AQUOS XLED GU8500 mini LED and AQUOS TRU GN7000 (True Resolution Upscale).	This new generation AI-Super Resolution TV was developed for optimum picture quality to elevate the consumer’s entertainment experience. This new mid-high end 4K TV features a 120Hz Refresh Rate which eliminates motion blurriness and ensures smoother visuals and AI-Super Resolution for richer images is ideal for gaming enthusiasts and movie buffs. Both variants are integrated with Google TV and Hands-Free Voice Control.
Category: B2B Solutions
6	A3 colour low-speed Multifunction Printer	The model’s enhanced features encompass a seven-inch touch screen and a user-friendly interface mode designed with small-medium businesses in mind. For greater accessibility, the system integrates Identity Card (IC) authentication without the need for user logins or passwords.
7	Portégé X40L Dynabook	This new generation of the Dynabook, featured at the showcase, is more powerful with new Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Smarter than ever, every Intel® Core™ Ultra processor features a powerful and efficient hybrid architecture CPU, an integrated Intel® Arc™ GPU, and dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) that work together for unparalleled AI inference performance.
8	Sharp e-Signage S	The Sharp e-Signage S is another innovative business solution that showcased the brand’s leadership display technology. Allowing users to create and edit signage programs easily, via simple drag-and-drop operation, this software excels on monitors installed in variety of locations, including offices, commercial establishments, and public spaces. Its modular nature offering a single standalone display to a network of multiple monitors offers flexibility and affordability to SMEs and large corporations alike.

 

About Sharp Corporation                                                                                          

Founded in 1912 by Tokuji Hayakawa, Sharp Corporation is a global technology company renowned for its expertise in both B2B and consumer innovation. As one of the largest consumer electronics companies, Sharp has a presence in 8 regions, including America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Asia Pacific, with over 70 wholly owned branches and subsidiaries.

 

Sharp has continuously evolved with original products, from the "Ever-Sharp" mechanical pencils to the world's first LCD electronic calculators. Driven by originality and the founder's spirit of sincerity and creativity, the company aims to help organisations of all sizes enhance performance and adapt to the future through innovative home and business products and services. Sharp will continue to revolutionise the world through its business vision of "Changing the world with 8K+5G and AIoT."

 

As of March 31, 2023, Sharp Corporation employs 46,206 people around the world and recorded consolidated annual sales of 2,548,117 million yen for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023.

 

Sharp is committed to being a socially responsible company, conducting its operations with concern for the impact of its activities on its customers, suppliers, employees, communities, and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. Under its long-term environmental vision, "SHARP Eco Vision 2050," there are three main areas: "climate change," "resource recycling," and "safety and security." The company aims for an overall positive impact on society by contributing to the environment, culture, benefits, welfare, and quality of life for people throughout the world.

 

For more information, please visit https://global.Sharp/

 

 

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