Funai Raises Sales, Profits With New Focus on Digital Products

摘要

Funai Electric Co., Ltd. has seen its sales and profits expand significantly because of products and designs based on its proprietary mechatronics technology, low-cost production in China and a marketing approach that includes major distributors around the globe. In the first half of the fiscal year Funai reported record results. Sales were ￥163.711 billion, up 41.9 percent from the same period a year earlier, operating profit was ￥18.607 billion, up 127.6 percent, recurring profit hit ￥17.174 billion, up 96.4 percent and net earnings reached ￥12.011 billion, up 89.4 percent from the previous year. Funai generates about 80% of its total sales outside Japan. In the last decade of the 20th century, Funai established a business strategy that focused on analog audio-video (A/V) products such as VCRs, TVs with built-in VCRs and small TVs and analog communications equipment such as facsimiles and multi-functional telephones. With the transition to digital electronics, Funai shifted its focus. At the beginning of the 21 st century, Funai began producing DVD players, CD-R/RW drives, digital broadcast tuners (STBs), laser beam printers and ink-jet printers. Production and sales of these products increased sharply in the past two years.