Brother Industries

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Brother Industries, Ltd.
Native name
ブラザー工業株式会社
Public
Traded as TYO: 6448
Industry Printers, Machinery
Founded 1908 (as Yasui Sewing Machine Co.)
Founder Kanekichi Yasui
Headquarters Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Key people
Yoshihiro Yasui (Chairman)
Toshikazu Koike (President)
Products Computer printers
Multi-function Centers
Fax machines
Sewing machines
Electronic typewriters
Knitting machines
Domestic appliances
Machine tools
Number of employees
31,314 (consolidated) 3,779 (non-consolidated)
Slogan At Your Side.
Website www.brother.com
Deluxe 660TR Correction mechanical typewriter.
Brother P-Touch 540 label printer
Wireless multifunction printer Brother DCP-J315W

Brother Industries, Ltd. (Japanese: ブラザー工業株式会社 Hepburn: Burazā Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha?) is a Japanese multinational electronics and electrical equipment company headquartered in Nagoya, Japan. Its products include printers, multifunction printers, sewing machines, large machine tools, label printers, typewriters, fax machines, and other computer-related electronics.[1] Brother distributes its products both under its own name and under OEM agreements with other companies.

History

Brother's history began in 1908 when the Yasui Sewing Machine Co. was established in Nagoya, Japan. In 1954, Brother International Corporation (US) was established as their first overseas sales affiliate. In 1958 a European regional sales company was established in Dublin. The corporate name was finally changed to Brother Industries, Ltd. in 1962. Brother entered the printer market during its long association with Centronics.

In 1968 the company moved its UK headquarters to Audenshaw, Manchester, after acquiring the Jones Sewing Machine Company, a long established British sewing machine maker.

In December 2011, Brother diversified its offerings by acquiring Nefsis, an innovator in web-based remote collaboration and conferencing software.[2]

In November 2012, Brother announced that it had built the last UK-made typewriter at its north Wales factory. Saying that it had made 5.9 million typewriters in its factory in Wrexham since it opened in 1985, the firm donated the last machine to London's Science Museum.[3]

As of March 2013, Brother's annual turnover was ¥516 billion ($5.05 billion USD (at April 2014 exchange rates)).[1]

Sewing and embroidery machines

In 2010, the sewing divisions of Brother Industries around Europe were consolidated into one larger company called "Brother Sewing Machines Europe GmbH". With a turnover in excess of €80 million, it is the 4th biggest company under the Brother Industries Ltd umbrella of organisations.

Brother Industries manufacture mechanical sewing machines in Zhuhai, China and computerised sewing & embroidery machines in Taiwan. A new sewing machine factory was opened in 2012 in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, which is the largest single brand sewing machine factory in the world.[4]

In September 2012, Brother Industries manufactured their 50 millionth home sewing machine.[5]

Advertising and sponsorship

Brother sponsored Manchester City Football Club from 1989 until 1999, one of the longest unbroken sponsorship deals of any English football club.

Brother launched their first integrated, pan European advertising campaign in Autumn 2010 for their A3 printer range. Titled ‘141%’, referring to the ratio between paper sizes A3 and A4.

References

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External links