HAVING registered a 160 percent growth in select product category this year in Qatar, a market Sharp considers increasingly important, the company’s Middle East FZE Chairman Hiroshi Sasaoka tells Qatar Tribune’s Joseph Varghese on behalf of his firm what lies behind the winning technology and how is it impacting the company’s business.

What is the latest on the technology front from Sharp? Sharp has developed the unique ‘Plasmacluster Ion’ (PCI) technology’ and putting it to use in products that help keep our homes healthier and the environment safe. Today, PCI technology is used in different home appliances like air purifiers, ion generators, ACs, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners.

Traditional Air filters clean the air by filtering it but do not purify the air throughout the room. This motivated us to develop PCI technology, the only air purification technology that can reach and eliminate airborne viruses, bacteria and mould in every corner of the room.

Is PCI technology already available in Sharp products in Qatar? If so, what is the market response? Yes. Our products incorporating PCI technology include air purifiers, air-conditioners and refrigerators.

We are witnessing a remarkable increase in our sales in Qatar. This category has registered more than 160 percent growth as customers are becoming more health-cautious and it shows in the response to our products as well as in their lifestyle.

How does it work and what are the advantages of the new technology? PCI technology works by emitting the same positive and negative ions as found in nature. These ions inactivate airborne viruses and bacteria in the living space to provide forest-fresh air indoors. It eliminates a wide range of hidden and invisible life endangering airborne viruses, bacteria, mould, fungi and bad odours. PCI technology has been proven repeatedly to render inactivate up to 99.9 percent of 27 kinds of harmful microbes in the living space.

What is the market share of Sharp in Qatar? We are the leaders in the air purifiers market in Qatar and hold the highest API (average price index) among all our competitors. We enjoy 40 percent of the market share and are continuously seeking new ideas and strategies to enhance our appeal.

What are the latest products from Sharp? On the consumer electronics front, we recently introduced our Aquos LED TVs, a large screen entertainment system available in industry-beating screen sizes of 70 and 80 inches. Both the Aquos LED TVs and air purifiers are new, one-of-a-kind products that have set new parameters.

The Japanese-made 60 and 70 inch Aquos LED TVs are the new benchmark for quality home entertainment, and are aggressively priced.