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Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Sharp Unveils Recovery Plan, Brings IGZO Panels To Notebooks
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Sharp's board of directors have aproved the company's
corporate strategy to achieve "recovery and growth" through
a medium-term management plan for fiscal 2013 through
fiscal 2015.
Since early 2000, Sharp has expanded its business with
growth drivers, including LCD TVs and mobile handsets in
Japan, while making a large investment in the LCD related
business, aiming for further business growth. However, as
the market was expanding, products including digital
consumer appliances had commoditized quickly, creating a
difficult position for Sharp, in the face of the growing
presence of Korean competitor companies that had a high
cost competitive edge. With the global economic
slowdown after Lehman?s fall and the delay in taking action
to change market demand after the termination of Eco-Point
Program in Japan, Sharp's net sales have decreased following
a peak in fiscal 2007.
As a result, burdened by the depreciation of the large-sum
investment in LCD related business, Sharp has recorded a
total net loss of 900 billion yen in fiscal 2011 and fiscal
2012. To overcome this situation, Sharp has set a corporate
strategy and a medium-term management plan for fiscal 2013
through fiscal 2015 was established at the board of
directors' meeting held today.
Sharp has set three basic strategies to transform corporate
structure:
- Shift management resources to "advantageous market and
fields"
- Exit closed innovation and aggressively utilize alliances
- Enforce executions by innovating governance systems
In addition, Sharp has requested that main banks have
personnel with extensive knowledge and experience join
Sharp's management. Sharp will continue to strive for
business recovery with the cooperation of main banks. Sharp
has decided to revamp its management composition effective
from June 25, 2013.
Sharp was rescued last October by 360 billion yen in
emergency loans from Mizuho Financial Group, Mitsubishi
Financial Group and other lenders. Sharp will borrow a
further 150 billion yen this year from its banks to help
meet its near-term debt obligations, and will give the
lenders a number of senior management positions.
The company's plan targets annual operating profit of 150
billion yen by the year to March 2016, helped by expanded
screen shipments to Samsung.
The company also agreed to trim its workforce by 10,000 and seek buyers for overseas assets, including TV assembly plants in China, Malaysia and Mexico.
Partnership with Makita
Sharp also today announced that it as signed a basic
agreement today to form a partnership with Makita
Corporation.
The two companies will seek to expand their business scope
by expanding the product line-up of Makita through
incorporation of Sharp's technology, and by mutually
utilizing each company's value chain including product
planning, production and sales in the global market.
Sharp aims to enter into new business areas by collaboration
with companies from different industries - from homes
(house/rooftop) to premises (grounds). In the future, Sharp
intends to develop further collaboration including in the
robotics business which is one of Sharp's targeted new
business fields.
Production of IGZO LCD Panels for Notebooks
Sharp will also begin production of three types of IGZO LCD
panels that boast pixel densities among the highest in the
industry.
These LCD panels are intended for use in notebook PCs and
will come in three sizes: 11.6 inches, 14 inches, and 15.6
inches. Production is scheduled to begin in June 2013 at
Sharp's Kameyama Plant No. 2. This new production allows
Sharp to expand its lineup of IGZO LCD panels for notebook
PCs, with the company having already started production of
13.3-inch IGZO panels.
IGZO technology enables smaller thin-film transistors and
increased light transmittance. As a result, fine text can be
rendered clearly, and images can be displayed realism. For
example, the 14-inch panel boasts a pixel density of 262
ppi, which represents 1.67 times the number of pixels of
full high definition. Increased light transmittance also
means lower rates of energy consumption, with IGZO
technology reducing the amount of power required to drive
liquid crystals during the display of still images. These
factors lead to greater energy efficiency and longer battery
life on notebook PCs. IGZO technology is also compatible
with stylus-input touchscreen functionality.
Sharp will work to further expand the range of applications
using its IGZO LCD panels in products such as smartphones,
tablet PCs, notebook PCs, and 4K displays that make the most
of the super high resolution and energy efficiency of these
panels.
Display size |
11.6 inches |
14 inches |
15.6 inches |
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13.3 inches |
Number of pixels |
2,560 x 1,440
(WQHD) |
3,200 x 1,800
(WQHD+) |
3,200 x 1,800
(WQHD+) |
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2,560 x 1,440
(WQHD) |
Pixel density |
253 ppi |
262 ppi |
235 ppi |
|
221 ppi |
Application |
Notebook PCs |
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Notebook PCs |
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