Sitting at the Big Table with Sharp at the Sharp National Dealer Meeting

Since the Sharp National Dealer Meeting in Phoenix Arizona at the end of 2017, the electronics manufacturer has been making headlines.

The event, called Pulse 17, included 939 guests representing 166 individual Sharp dealerships and took place in Phoenix, Arizona. The company took advantage of the first major dealer meeting after its acquisition by Foxconn to demonstrate that the brand has been revitalized, and is now ready to tackle some of tech’s most promising ventures.

Aside from a robust collection of high-performance printers and multifunction devices, Sharp has delved into the world of AI Technology (artificial intelligence), relying on the upcoming bandwidth advantage that 5G will offer once it becomes mainstream technology. This is apparent in the brand’s dedication to 8K video resolution cameras and its new Amazon-powered conference bridge device.

What’s New with Sharp, From Foxconn Onwards

In late 2016, Foxconn purchased Sharp for $3.5 billion. Foxconn put Tai Jeng-wu in charge of the company, tasking him with making more disciplined investment decisions and reorganizing its spending habits. Tai has overhauled the company’s compensation system, which used to be overly reliant on seniority when determining which employees would get wage increases or other bonuses.

Foxconn, well-known as the primary manufacturer for a great number of Apple iPhone parts and components, gave Sharp a much-needed cash flow boost alongside new leadership. This strategy has culminated in the December 2017 Sharp National Dealer Meeting, where the manufacturer unveiled a promising line-up of new machines.

Sharp Light Production Color Document Business Systems

Sharp retains its layered product catalog, consisting of Essential series products for small offices and Advanced and Pro series devices for more extensive operation. Some of the most exciting products the company showcased during the National Dealer Meeting are in the Pro series product line.

For instance, the MX-7090N and MX-8090N are both high-speed color document systems with multifunction features and extensive networking capabilities. Both devices are compatible with Fiery print server architecture, giving offices unparalleled control over the features and capabilities of their document systems.

These systems operate at a print output rate of 80 pages per minute and feature full edge-to-edge printing capability. This lets operators produce professionally finished full-bleed booklets of up to 120 pages in length exclusively using inline finishing options. The devices feature an intuitive touchscreen display based on the easy-to-understand user interface that Sharp is known for.

These devices represent the height of light production printing. Enterprises that need precise color control, workflow automation, and integrated job management will find the MX-7090N and MX-8090N offer versatility and power at an attractive price. Optional features include print server upgrades and specialty feeder and finishing options.

Sharp Advanced Series Monochrome Desktop Systems

The MX-B335W and MX-B445W are monochrome multifunction devices that incorporate printing, scanning, and copying capabilities in one small-format product. These two devices offer print output speeds of 35 and 45 pages per minute, respectively, and both offer industry-leading print quality for letter and legal-sized documents.

All of the manufacturer’s new devices incorporate Sharp’s new security suite software. This cybersecurity solution protects print and copy jobs from unwanted network exposure using a variety of state-of-the-art methods. Incoming projects undergo 256-bit data encryption during print processing, and then undergo a 10-times data overwrite process after the fact. The innovative End-of-Lease feature allows users to erase all personal data when trading online using an online trading platform.

New Sharp Essential Series Document Systems

The MX-M3050, MX-M3550, MX-M4050, MX-M5050, and MX-M6050 document systems make up Sharp’s new releases in its Essential product category. These ledger-sized devices are designed to meet small business needs while placing a high priority on workflow efficiency and print quality.

All of these printers are monochrome and feature print output speeds of between 30 and 60 pages per minute. Sharp also announced an entry-level color printer that operates at 26 pages per minute that is slated for release in Spring 2018.

Professional Displays and Atmospheric Water Generation

Sharp announced the release of a range of powerful high-definition display screens, including a best-in-class 8K display. 8K technology offers 16 times the pixel resolution of 1080p, firmly establishing Sharp as a leader in the display screen manufacturing market.

Among everything else, however, the manufacturer’s most interesting and unexpected product was an atmospheric water generator. Sharp has consolidated a strategic alliance with Skywell to create a combined technology solution for generating water directly out of the atmosphere.

At this stage, the Skywell atmospheric water generator is an office water solution designed to reduce employees’ reliance on plastic bottles while addressing workplace demand for sustainable solutions. The ability to generate water with help from a plumber can pave the way to greater environmental benefits inside and outside the office.

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