Business Overview

50 Years of Progress

1970s

1972
  • Released the SF-201—Sharp’s very first copier—born of our spirit to take on new challenges.
1974
  • Released the SF-710, Sharp’s first plain-paper copier and the industry’s first copier with an IC chip*1.
1977
  • Released the SF-730, the industry’s first copier to use a mono-component toner pressure fusing system*1. It was a milestone in overcoming pressure control issues.
1978
  • Released the SF-810, the industry’s first desktop plain-paper copier with a stationary platen*1.
1979
  • Released the SF-740, a best-selling copier that enabled copying onto postcards—an industry first*1.
  • Sharp Manufacturing Company of America (SMCA) established in Tennessee, U.S.

1980s

1981
  • Released the SF-770, the world’s smallest copier with a stationary platen*1.
  • Released the SF-750, the world’s smallest and lightest copier*1.
1984
  • Released the Z-60, the world’s smallest B4 copier*1, which pioneered the market for personal-use copiers.
1986
  • Automated production lines completed at the Nara factory in Japan.
1987
  • Released the SF-7700 series, a long-selling series born of Sharp’s pursuit for simplicity.
1988
  • Plant No. 7 at the Nara factory started operations.
1989
  • Released the CX-7500, Sharp’s first full-colour analogue copier that achieved high-quality colour copying.
  • Released the SF-8300 series, the industry’s first copier with space-saving automatic rotating drawers*1.
  • Sharp Manufacturing France S.A. (SMF) established in Soultz, France.

1990s

1990
  • Sharp Laboratories of Europe, Ltd. (SLE) established in Oxford, U.K.
1991
  • Released the SD-2075, a 76-ppm high-speed duplicator designed to achieve high productivity.
1992
  • Released the SF-2027/2022, a reliable high-performance model that marked the 20th anniversary of Sharp copiers.
  • Makuhari Building completed in Chiba, Japan.
1993
  • Sharp Office Equipments (Changshu) Co., Ltd. (SOCC) established in Changshu, China.
1994
  • Released the AR-5040, Sharp’s first digital copier, which pioneered the computer networking era.
  • Cumulative global production surpassed 5 million units.
1995
  • Released the AR-5030F/FR, Sharp’s first digital copier that combined copy and fax functions in one unit.
  • Sharp Laboratories of America Inc. (SLA) established in Washington, U.S.
1996
  • Released the AR-5132, Sharp’s first digital MFP, which transformed office workflow.
1998
  • Sharp Document Systems Corporation (SDS) established.
1999
  • Released the AR-C150, a digital full-colour MFP with a high-speed colour tandem engine.
  • Sharp Software Development India Pvt. Ltd. (SSDI) established in Bangalore, India.

2000s

2000
  • Cumulative global production surpassed 10 million units.
2001
  • Sharp MFP obtained Common Criteria security certification—an industry first*1.
2004
  • Sharp MFP obtained Common Criteria EAL4 (EAL: evaluation assurance level) security certification—an industry first*1.
  • New colour toner plant completed at the Nara factory.
2005
  • Released the MX-2700N, a digital full-colour MFP that laid the foundation for Sharp’s current full-colour MFPs.
  • Sharp Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (SMTL) established in Nakornpathom, Thailand.
2006
  • Sharp digital full-colour MFP line won the Line of the Year award from Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI)*2, a leading independent U.S. organisation that tests document imaging equipment.
2007
  • Released the MX-M1100, a B/W MFP with super-fast 110-ppm output (A4 long-edge feeding) made for speed and efficiency.
  • Sharp’s entire line of colour and B/W MFPs named Most Outstanding MFP Line of the Year by BLI*2.
2008
  • Cumulative global production surpassed 15 million units.

2010s

2010
  • Released the MX-2610N, a colour MFP with a 10.1-inch colour LCD touchscreen for intuitive operation.
2011
  • Launched a network printing service for convenience stores in Japan.
2012
  • Released the MX-6540N, a top-line colour MFP, made to meet various office needs with high image quality and superb productivity.
  • SOCC’s second plant started operations.
2013
  • Sharp Business Solutions Corporation (SBS) established.
2015
  • Released the MX-6070N series of digital full-colour MFPs.
2017
  • Sharp Marketing Japan Corporation (SMJ) established.
  • Sharp digital full-colour MFP obtained Common Criteria security certification conforming to the Protection Profile for Hardcopy Devices v1.0 (HCD-PP)—an industry first*1.
2019
  • Won 2019 Copier MFP Line of the Year award from BLI*2.
  • The MX-B455W/B355W, a B/W MFP, won an iF Design Award 2019.

2020s

2020
  • The BP-10C20, a full-colour MFP, won an iF Design Award 2020.
  • Cumulative global production surpassed 20 million units.
2022
  • Released the BP-70C45 series of digital full-colour MFPs.
  • *1 Based on Sharp research (at the time of product release).
  • *2 Buyers Lab (BLI) is currently a division of Keypoint Intelligence.

Technology and Features

User Friendliness

Sharp has always kept the customer in mind when developing MFP user interfaces that are truly user friendly. The MX-2610N series released in 2010 featured a large 10.1-inch LCD touchscreen, which was among the largest for its class at the time. It brought finger flicks and other smartphone-like gestures to the world of MFPs.
Sharp’s user interfaces have continued to evolve. Our newest features include Easy UI mode and One-Touch Job Recall. In Easy UI mode, frequently used functions are shown as large, simple icons with enlarged text on the LCD. With One-Touch Job Recall, the most recent jobs can be called up on the LCD and easily repeated.

Image Quality

Sharp MFPs feature Auto Colour mode for high-quality copying and scanning. This function automatically analyses page content to distinguish between different components, such as photos, text, and text on halftone backgrounds. It then selects the appropriate image-processing mode.
The latest Sharp MFPs also use AI to automatically determine aspects of an image such as gradations and number of colours.
Sharp also strives to reduce toner particle size to minimise graininess and produce accurate, visually outstanding image quality.

Environmental Performance

At Sharp, we continue to develop technologies to minimise the environmental impact of our products. Our MFPs are designed to deliver exceptional energy efficiency, and therefore low TEC values*1. Energy-saving technologies include low-melting-point Mycrostoner, a low-temperature fusing system, and improved controller technology for low power consumption in network standby mode—just 0.3 W in the case of our latest model, the BP-50C26.
Sharp promotes environmental friendliness throughout the entire MFP product life cycle. For example, our parts are made to have a long service life and thereby reduce waste.

  • *1 Typical amount of energy consumed in a hypothetical week measured as stipulated under the ENERGY STAR programme.
  • *2 Measurement conditions: 115 V, 60 Hz.

Security

Sharp was among the first in the industry to address data security for MFPs. In April 2001, we became the world’s first manufacturer in the copier/MFP industry to receive Common Criteria validation.
In the product planning and development stage, we simulate a wide range of potential security risks in our customers’ office environment. We call on all our technologies and knowledge, covering everything from data storage and networks to protection of hard copies and the MFP system itself. This allows us to provide our customers with absolute security and peace of mind.

  • *1: Contact a Sharp customer representative for details.
  • *2: Only when emailing scanned data.

Connectivity

Starting in the latter half of the 1990s, the copier evolved into the MFP, integrating printer and network functions. As ICT has advanced, so have the network functions of the MFP.
In the 2000s, Sharp launched Sharp OSA (Open Systems Architecture), a proprietary development platform that enabled MFP functions to integrate with third-party applications. With Sharp OSA, the MFP could be customised according to users’ specific needs.
Today, Sharp MFPs are designed to work with popular cloud services, making it easier than ever to share information throughout the office and beyond.

  • • Once you log in to the MFP, its single sign-on feature allows you to quickly access multiple software services without having to sign in to each one separately.
  • • User authentication must be activated for single-sign-on. Contact a Sharp customer representative for details

Production Milestones

Global production reaches 20 million mark

Sharp has been producing innovative, high-quality document systems for over 50 years. Anticipating the diverse needs of our customers, we have continued to expand and refine our line-up of colour and B/W multifunction copiers and printers (MFPs). We offer the ideal document solution for any type of business, from the small home office to the large corporate setting. Sharp has earned a reputation around the world for helping people work better. It comes down to our innovative technologies, such as smart scanning, multi-layered security, and connectivity with mobile devices and cloud services.

Since the debut of our first copier in 1972, global production of our document systems has grown steadily. At the end of 2021, cumulative production surpassed 20.5 million units—ongoing proof of Sharp’s success at offering reliable, high-performance document systems.

Global Network

R&D Bases

Japan

Sharp Corporation – Nara
Yamato-Koriyama, Nara Prefecture
 

Sharp Corporation – Makuhari (SMJ/BS headquarters)
Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture
 

India

Sharp Software Development India Pvt. Ltd. (SSDI)
Bangalore
 

Production Bases

Japan

Sharp Corporation – Nara
Yamato-Koriyama, Nara Prefecture
 

France

Sharp Manufacturing France S.A. (SMF)
Soultz, Alsace
 

China

Sharp Office Equipments (Changshu) Co., Ltd. (SOCC)
Changshu, Jiangsu Province
 

Thailand

Sharp Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (SMTL)
Nakornpathom
 

Sales Bases

Japan

Sharp Marketing Japan Corporation (SMJ) Osaka
Sharp Electronics Sales Okinawa Corporation (SEO) Okinawa

North America

Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC) New Jersey, U.S.
Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd. (SECL) Ontario, Canada
Sharp Corporation Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (SCMEX) Mexico City, Mexico

Europe, Middle East, Africa

Sharp Electronics (Europe) Limited (SEE) Middlesex, U.K.
Sharp Business Systems UK Plc. (SBSUK) Wakefield, U.K.
Sharp Electronics (Europe) Ltd. Sucursal en España Barcelona, Spain
Sharp Business Systems Deutschland GmbH (SBSDG) Köln, Germany
Sharp Electronics GmbH (SEG) Hamburg, Germany
Sharp Electronics (Europe) GmbH, Poland Branch (SEP) Warsaw, Poland
Sharp Electronics (Europe) GmbH, Hungary Branch (SEHU) Budapest, Hungary
Sharp Electronics (Europe) GmbH, Austria Branch (SEGAA) Vienna, Austria
Sharp Business Systems Sverige AB (SBSSE) Bromma, Sweden
Sharp Business Systems Norge AS (SBSNO) Oslo, Norway
Sharp Business Systems Finland OY (SBSFI) Helsinki, Finland
Sharp Business Systems Danmark AS (SBSDK) Herlev, Denmark
Sharp Electronics (Schweiz) AG (SEZ) Rüschlikon, Switzerland
Sharp Business Systems France S.A.S. (SBSF) Toulouse, France
Sharp Electronics (Italia) S.p.A. (SEIS) Milan, Italy
Sharp Electronics Benelux B.V. (SEB) Utrecht, the Netherlands
Sharp Electronics Benelux B.V. Belgium Branch (SEBB) Mechelen, Belgium
Sharp Electronics Russia LLC. (SER) Moscow, Russia
Sharp Business Systems Czech Republic s.r.o. (SBSCZ) Prague, Czech Republic
Sharp Business Systems Slovakia s.r.o. (SBSSK) Bratislava, Slovakia
Sharp Middle East Free Zone Establishment (SMEF) Dubai, U.A.E.

China

Sharp Universal Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SUTS) Shanghai, China

Asia-Pacific

Sharp Electronics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (SEM) Selangor, Malaysia
Sharp Singapore Electronics Corporation Pte. Ltd. (SSC) Singapore
Sharp Thai Co., Ltd. (STCL) Bangkok, Thailand
Sharp Electronics (Vietnam) Company Limited (SVN) Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Sharp Business Systems (India) Private Ltd. (SBI) New Delhi, India
Sharp Corporation of Australia Pty. Ltd. (SCA) New South Wales, Australia
Sharp Corporation of New Zealand Ltd. (SCNZ) Auckland, New Zealand