Brother Industries

Brother Industries Ltd.

Type	Public
Traded as	TYO: 6448
Industry	Printers, Machinery
Founded	1908 (as Yasui Sewing Machine Co.)
Founder(s)	Kanekichi Yasui
Headquarters	Nagoya, 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
Employees	23,809 (consolidated) 3,125 (non-consolidated)
Website	www.brother.com

Brother P-Touch 540 label printer

Brother Industries, Ltd. (ブラザー工業株式会社, Burazā Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha^?) (TYO: 6448) is a diversified Japanese company that produces or imports a wide variety of products including printers, sewing machines, large machine tools, label printers, and typewriters, fax machines, and other computer-related electronics. It markets its multifunction printers as Multi-Function Centers (MFCs). MFC lines of printers include 5-in-1 models awarded with PC Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award for best multi-function printers. The MFCs often feature a printer, a scanner, a fax machine, a copier, and a PC fax.^[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 (U.S.A.) 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

As of 2004, Brother's annual turnover was in excess of 420 billion yen.

In April 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 €80million, it is the 4th biggest company under the Brother Industries Ltd umbrella. Brother now imports all its sewing machines from China.

Advertising and sponsorship

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.

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

References

1. ^ "Brother Printers — The Multi-Awarded Printer Brand". http://www.allprinterreviews.com/brother-printers.html. Retrieved 2009-04-24. 

External links

• Brother Global site
• Brother 141 pan European site
• Brother Sewing Machines Europe Site
• V3.co.uk Review Brother HL 2270dw Laser Printer
• Brother United States site

Companies portal