Stanley Electric

Summary

Stanley Electric Co., Ltd. (スタンレー電気株式会社, Sutanrē Denki Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of electric lights. Stanley has 36 consolidated subsidiaries, three associated companies, 23 factories in eight countries, offices in 17 countries, and over 16,000 employees.[4][5][6]

Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
Native name
スタンレー電気株式会社
Company typePublic (K.K)
TYO: 6923
ISINJP3399400005
IndustryAutomotive
FoundedDecember 29, 1920; 103 years ago (1920-12-29)
FounderTakaharu Kitano
Headquarters,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Takanori Kitano
(President)
Products
RevenueIncrease JPY 442.1 billion (FY 2017) (US$ 4.1 billion) (FY 2017)
Increase JPY 36 billion (FY 2017) (US$ 338 million) (FY 2017)
Number of employees
16,687 (consolidated, as of March 31, 2018)
WebsiteOfficial website
Footnotes / references
[1][2][3]

The main customers for its core business, automotive lighting, are Honda and Nissan. Other customers using Stanley's products include Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ford and Chrysler.[7] Stanley is listed in the TOPIX of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

History edit

Initially Kitano Shokai (北野商会),[8] the company was founded in 1920 by Takaharu Kitano. At the time, only about 8,000 cars were present in Japan, all of them imported.[citation needed]

In 1933, the company became incorporated as a kabushiki gaisha[8] and was renamed after explorer Henry Morton Stanley, who was famous for exploring Africa. As the company states, Kitano was impressed by Stanley's vision, courage and pioneering spirit.[9] A branch in Osaka was established the following year. From 1943 to 1949, the company was known as Kitano Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. (北野電気工業株式会社, Kitano Denki Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha).[8]

Stanley was first listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1961.[8]

  • 1965: Start of silicon processing
  • 1968: First international branch in Taiwan
  • 1968: First research center for lightning
  • 1979: First branch in the USA (Stanley US)
  • 1980: Development of colored liquid crystals
  • 1984: Branch in France
  • Until 2009: Many branches in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. Stanley and the German company Hella founded a joint venture based in Melbourne in 2002.[10]

Operations edit

Stanley's products include HID and LED headlights. Stanley developed the world's first LED high-mount stop lamp.[11]

Stanley also produces all types of automotive lighting, backlighted LED displays, camera flashes, automotive interior displays, sensors, light fixtures and streetlights, as used in Shanghai and Tokyo.[12]

In 2013, Stanley announced plans to concentrate more on the development of LED headlights and planned to raise the LED share from 1% to 20% by 2017.[13]

Research and development edit

Stanley conducts research and development at 5 research centres in Japan, where new light technologies are explored, existing technologies are optimized, and new products are developed. One such research centre is located in Tsukuba.[citation needed] Research results are regularly published in scientific journals.[14][15]

Motorsport edit

 
Takuya Izawa (Team Kunimitsu) in a Raybrig-sponsored Honda HSV-010 GT in 2011

Until March 2021,[16] Stanley sold aftermarket products under the motorsport-inspired Raybrig brand, which also sponsored Team Kunimitsu in Super GT. After Team Kunimitsu won the 2020 GT500 Championship, bringing an end to a 25-year sponsorship, Stanley itself replaced Raybrig as the team's main sponsor for 2021.[17]

Social involvement edit

Founder Takaharu Kitano also established the Kitano Foundation of Lifelong Integrated Education in 1975, which awards scholarships to those who can not afford education. The foundation is active in Japan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India and other countries.[18][19]

Stanley is also the title sponsor of the Stanley Ladies Golf Tournament, a women's golf series managed by the LPGA that also funds the construction of schools in Kenya.[18]

Event sponsorship edit

Stanley takes part in illumination events worldwide. At festivities marking 150 years of Japanese-German friendship, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was illuminated with LED flood lights in 2011.[20] Stanley LED lights were installed outside the Kabuki-za in Ginza before its reopening in 2013.[21] Both lighting arrangements were conducted in cooperation with lighting artist Makoto Ishii.[citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ "Corporate overview". Stanley Electric. Archived from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  2. ^ "About the company". Financial Times. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  3. ^ "Company Profile". Nikkei Asian Review. Nikkei Inc. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "Stanley Electric Annual Reports". Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  5. ^ "Stanley Electric Profile". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  6. ^ "Stanleys world bases". Stanley Electric. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  7. ^ "Stanleys Customers". Stanley Electric. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d "History | STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD". www.stanley.co.jp. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  9. ^ "Auto lightning supplier in London back on beam". The Columbus dispatch. November 11, 2012. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  10. ^ "Hella und Stanley gründen Holding in Melbourne". Motor Talk. March 1, 2002. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  11. ^ "Automotive equipment | STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD". www.stanley.co.jp. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "Stanley product index". Stanley Electric. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  13. ^ "Stanley Electric shifting focus on LED Headlights". Supplier Business. January 8, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  14. ^ "Nitrogen/oxygen plasma improves p-type MgZnO for Zinc oxide UV LEDs" (PDF). Semiconductor Today. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 15, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  15. ^ "Modified blackbody radiation spectrum of a selective emitter with application to incandescent light source design". Optics Express. June 7, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  16. ^ "Super GT: Kunimitsu/Raybrig deal to end after 2020 season". www.motorsport.com. November 26, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  17. ^ "Kunimitsu Honda reveals new Super GT sponsor for 2021". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Responsibility to International and Local Communities | STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD". www.stanley.co.jp. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  19. ^ "Annual Report" (PDF). DK Jain Group (Lumax). 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  20. ^ "Introduction to the Stanley Group Business" (PDF). Stanley Electric. 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  21. ^ "2014 Environmental Report" (PDF). Stanley Electric.

External links edit

  • Kitano Foundation website (in Japanese)
  • Stanley Ladies Golf Tournament website (in Japanese)