Sharp Corporation established Sharp Laboratories of China Co., Ltd. (SLC), a research and development (R&D) base, on 11 January 2011. SLC will begin operations in the spring of 2011.
Sharp already has an advanced R&D centre at its Chinese sales subsidiary for developing mainly software. The establishment of SLC as a separate company will improve on the capabilities of this R&D centre and allow Sharp to better create innovative products that respond to customer needs and anticipate future market trends.
SLC will develop cutting-edge technologies for products geared to local market needs, as well as conduct R&D in areas central to Sharp’s global business. It will also train employees capable of helping Sharp meet these goals, and it will make the most of open innovation by collaborating closely with local universities and research institutes.
Sharp will continue improving the capabilities of SLC while at the same time striving to complete an integrated system of local production for local consumption in China that handles everything from crucial R&D to product planning, and production through to sales and marketing. Furthermore, to strengthen global research and development, SLC will be a part of Sharp’s worldwide network of four R&D bases, together with bases in Japan, the US, and the UK.