Sharp Laboratories of Europe
Even though Sharp was carrying out a large amount of research in Japan, President Tsuji realised that Sharp needed access to the best consumer electronics research all around the world. In 1990 he founded Sharp Laboratories of Europe which would become the first of many international laboratories for the corporation.
Dr Clive Bradley was chosen as the first Managing Director of the laboratory. He recruited many world class specialists and created a brand new laboratory on the Oxford Science Park. Within a short space of time technology began to flow from the laboratory into Sharp products. The laboratory was extended in 1995 and has enjoyed a steady growth since then.
Sharp Laboratories of Europe works exclusively for Sharp Corporation and maintains a balance of short and long term work. Whilst it is longer term research that can have the biggest impact, it is the shorter term work that creates rapid technology transfer to products. In 2002 a European Design Centre was opened at the laboratory. The role of this centre is to help customers to design Sharp liquid crystal diplays into their products. As well as having a big impact on European sales, this has brought the voice of the customer into the laboratory.
In 2005 we established a laboratory in Munich to work closely with Sharp Microelectronics of Europe. This laboratory not only brings us closer to our mainland European customers but also helps us to recruit more widely in Europe.
Sharp Laboratories of Europe is pleased to be part of an international network of Sharp laboratories. We enjoy close collaboration with our sister laboratories in Japan, America and China.
