Products geared toward China which have different concepts and designs than those made for use within Japan — I enjoy learning about the process of how product designs/functions are decided because it seems to reflect on the culture and characteristics of the Chinese people. Here, I would like to feature the presentation of Sharp’s Health and Environment Systems Business, held at the Le Royal Méridien Shanghai on March 23^rd.

Some major topics at the presentation were activities towards business expansion in China and new products for the Chinese market, how “Plasmacluster^*1” products have sold a total of 70 million units all over the world^*2, and Sharp has being recognized^*5 by Guinness World Records®^*4 as the “Best-selling air purifier brand^*3 in the current year (2015)”.

(News release) Sharp’s Plasmacluster Technology-Equipped Product Sales Reach 70 Million Units Worldwide

*1 Plasmacluster and the Plasmacluster logos are registered trademarks of Sharp Corporation.
*2 The total shipped units both domestically and internationally of products featuring Sharp’s Plasmacluster ion generation products from October 2000 to the end of February 2017.
*3 Within the air purifier category
*4 Guinness World Records® is a registered trademark of Guinness World Records
*5 “The best-selling air purifier brand-retail volume in the current year”
Recognized values: 2,046,300 units (Estimated unit sales according to the international market research organization Euromonitor International (England)), target period: January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015

The Managing Officer of the Health and Environment Systems BU, Masahiro Okitsu, explained about Sharp’s goal to attain 100 million units in the next few years. He also talked about topics such as the company aiming for the top air purifier share in the Chinese market, promotion of the AIoT^*6-ification for their products, and plans to implement the Hon Hai Group manufacturing power and sales network to their full potential to actively work for expansion of Chinese business.

*6 AIoT is a fusion of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and IoT

Managing Officer of the Health and Environment Systems BU, Masahiro Okitsu

Mr. Feng, the Product Planning Supervisor from SCIC (Sharp (China) Investment Co., Ltd.), talked about future product development such as offering “Air Purifier with Mosquito Catcher” at a lower cost through dramatic cost reductions by implementing local manufacturing, and briefed the audience on the new air purifier model “Queen2”, which is unique at how it features a high-grade design and can be controlled by smartphones.

Mr. Feng, the Product Planning Supervisor from SCIC (Sharp (China) Investment Co., Ltd.)

Mr. Feng explains about “Queen2”

The presentation included an on-stage yoga-dance performance that expressed the design image of “Queen2”

Dance performance

Various products were on display at the venue, including new items such as large five-door refrigerators, and items released in China last year, such as the “Healsio Hot Cook” electric waterless cooker, “Ultrasonic Washer”, and “Air Purifier with Mosquito Catcher”. Unique products that were hot topics in Japan were also popular in China, and the Chinese media paid close attention to these displays.

New products such as five-door refrigerators

Air purifier lineup

Demonstration and tasting of curry made by the “Healsio Hot Cook” electric waterless cooker

This presentation appeared to have a different atmosphere from presentations in Japan.