HONG KONG, May 18 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Elcoteq SE and Sharp have signed an extensive agreement for cooperation on industrialization, manufacturing, distribution and after market services for mobile phones. The cooperation focuses initially on Sharp′s latest smartphone product line-up "KIN", a new Windows Phone, developed for USA and Europe. The cooperation will cover all service areas with immediate effect. As announced on April 13, 2010, the agreement is estimated to contribute over 150 million euros on Elcoteq′s net sales in 2010.
The agreement with Elcoteq covers the Life Cycle Services that include engineering services, sourcing, New Product Introduction (NPI), box-build manufacturing, and after market services for the products. NPI Services do not only include the industrialization of the various models, but also the development of the test systems for the manufacturing process. Elcoteq will also have an increasing role in supplier selection and component sourcing. Products manufactured by Elcoteq will be delivered in full box-build mode and all the manufacturing is initially concentrated in Elcoteq′s factory in Beijing, China. Furthermore, Elcoteq will take care of the after market services for the delivered products in each region.
"We are very pleased to be working with Sharp, one of the world's top electronics giants and a leading Japanese smartphone company. We are proud to become a global partner for Sharp to secure the high quality and providing smooth supply of its products in the market. As a global Life Cycle Service Partner Elcoteq is perfectly suited to meet Sharp′s extensive and demanding requirements," says Mr. Jouni Hartikainen, CEO and President of Elcoteq.
"We chose Elcoteq because of its long experience in advanced handset manufacturing and service offering that covers the entire lifecycle of product. This partnership will enable Sharp expand the smartphone business into the global markets," says Mr. Akihiko Imaya, Group General Manager, Personal Solutions Business Development Group of Sharp.
About Elcoteq
Elcoteq SE is the global Life Cycle Service Partner for high-tech product and service companies.
Engineering, Manufacturing, Fulfillment and After Market Services are the cornerstones of Elcoteq's extensive service offering. Elcoteq has a proven track record in electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and a global factory network coupled with modern manufacturing equipment and consistent systems and processes.
Products include Consumer Electronics devices such as mobile phones and their accessories, set-top boxes, LED lamps and luminaries, flat panel TVs as well as System Solutions products such as infrastructure systems, modules and other industrial segment products.
The Group's consolidated net sales for 2009 totaled 1.5 billion euros and it employs approximately 10,000 persons. Elcoteq SE is listed on the Nasdaq OMX Helsinki Ltd. For more information visit the Elcoteq website at http://www.elcoteq.com .
Further information:
Jouni Hartikainen
President and CEO
Tel: +358-10-41-311
Patrik Ahgren
Vice President
New Sales and Business Development, APAC Area
Tel: +852-2486-7766
