Sharp Named Best Digital Imaging Product Line in BERTL's Best Awards

MAHWAH, NJ, July 28, 2008 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) today announced it has received the 2008 BERTL’s BEST Award for Best Digital Imaging Product Line. In choosing Sharp for this award, BERTL analysts acknowledged the consistency across the Sharp product line and the wide variety of applications supported by Sharp OSA technology™ as features that set Sharp apart from its competitors and provide true value-add to end users.

“We are honored that BERTL recognized Sharp with its highest accolade for our powerful and versatile line of MFPs,” said Ed McLaughlin, president, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “More importantly, BERTL recognized our full range of digital imaging solutions as a total end-to-end line that can meet any business need. We continue to develop and innovate within our digital imaging line to ensure that Sharp customers always have a solution that best meets their needs.”

This award winning digital imaging product line is the result of Sharp’s unique approach to designing and building office products. The company employs a global product development process in which management, business development, R&D, product development, marketing, manufacturing, training and customer service teams all work collaboratively during each stage of the product development process. This gives Sharp a competitive advantage, allowing the company to form a common platform strategy in which the core components of Sharp’s product line are designed, developed and manufactured together. Components, software and processes are engineered to be shared across engine platforms, making Sharp’s products "look and act" similarly across virtually all segments of the market. The culmination of this approach is a line of products universally praised for exceptional reliability, innovation and superior performance.

All Sharp MFPs, including the MX-M1100, feature Sharp’s award-winning OSA technology that extends the value and capabilities of the device and enables dealers, developers, and end-users to provide a truly customized experience. With a wide variety of applications compatible with Sharp OSA technology, Sharp MFPs can be customized to support nearly any company’s document workflow. Sharp OSA™ technology has also been recognized with the 2008 BERTL’s BEST award for Best Development Platform.

Poised at the top of the line is the monochrome 110 ppm MX-M1100, which was awarded the BERTL’s BEST Award for Best Light Production black-and-white multifunctional peripheral (MFP). The award highlights a number of features that set the MX-M1100 apart from other MFPs in its category. Not only is the MX-M1100 an intuitive MFP with high-quality imaging, scanning, printing and copying, but it also features the ability to print from or scan to USB memory devices, standard tandem printing with direct PDF/TIFF/JPEG printing, and standard network scanning with Send-To-Group scan destinations.

In addition to providing innovative products, Sharp is committed to being a socially responsible company and helping preserve the environment. The company has long focused on designing environmentally-conscious products, reducing harmful emissions from its plants, and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of solar cells. The Sharp legacy of environmental responsibility has been recognized by the U.S. Government’s General Services Administration (GSA), which awarded Sharp both its “Green Contractor Award” and its “Evergreen Award” in recognition of the company’s environmental leadership in manufacturing and sustainable business practices.

As part of its continuing commitment to preserving the environment and reducing landfill waste, the Sharp Copier Toner Recycling Program was created to encourage government and business customers to recycle Sharp toner cartridges from all Sharp models. Every Sharp-branded copier, printer and multifunctional peripheral (MFP) toner cartridge sold in the U.S. can be easily recycled at no cost to the customer.

Each year, independent BERTL^® research analysts draw on their knowledge of the competitive landscape and extensive product testing to recognize products that deliver overall business process value, functionality and performance to users. BERTL recognizes the best devices and software in the digital imaging marketplace with BERTL’s Best awards. Winners are selected after rigorous analysis of the hundreds of digital imaging devices, software, and management utilities in the worldwide marketplace. The awards honor digital imaging and document management solutions for business offices of all sizes and vertical sectors.

For information about the complete line of Sharp MFP products, contact Sharp Electronics Corporation, Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, NJ 07495-1163, or call 800-BE-SHARP.

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BERTL^® Inc. is the source for objective, independent product evaluation reports and comparative analyses on digital imaging devices and workflow solutions. BERTL’s evaluation reports, customer satisfaction research, awards and product ratings are undertaken entirely at BERTL’s expense for the benefit of its international subscriber base.

At all times, BERTL’s primary focus is the end user. Covering all major digital imaging manufacturers, BERTL publishes the world’s most extensive Web site of evaluation reports, comparisons data, vertical market research, news and more on copiers, printers, MFPs, production and workgroup scanners, fax machines, color and production equipment and wide format devices. BERTL reports, research and other industry informative services are available in a range of specialized subscription services. To learn more about BERTL, visit www.BERTL.com or telephone 1-732-761-2311.

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