The Sharp-er image

Sharp has completed its E44 (zł.170) million investment in an industrial park outside of Toruń. The Crystal Park complex is situated on 177 ha and houses production facilities dedicated to the production of Aquos LCD-screen television sets. The complex also houses facilities for subcontractors that provide Sharp sourcing materials - a move that reflects the company's global strategy for streamlined production, which cuts time and costs by eliminating the need for long-distance transport.

Currently, Europe is considered the biggest market for LCD televisions, with a 40-percent share of the global market. In 2007, demand for LCD-screen televisions in Europe increased 50 percent over the previous financial year, reaching 27 million units sold. This figure is expected to rise another 30 percent in by 2011, reaching 36 million units.

"The initiation of production in Poland demonstrates the importance of the European market for our company. The new factory will allow us to meet growing European demand for LCD televisions," said Toshiyuki Tajima, CEO of Sharp Electronics Europe, at the factory's ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"Investing in Eastern Europe was a perfectly calculated strategic move. Countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia are showing a large increase in LCD-television sales and their significance will grow in the future," he explained, adding that the company had been eyeing the region since the beginning of its European operations.

With a current staff of 1,300, production capacity for Crystal Park is targeted at 300,000 units per month by the end of fiscal year 2007 and 420,000 units per month by the end of fiscal year 2008.