Sanyo, the multi-billion-dollar Japanese giant in consumer electronics and commercial products that has notched consolidated sales of $20.48 billion last year, plans to leverage the construction boom in the UAE and other Gulf states with its environment-friendly solar panels and cutting-edge air-conditioning units.

“We have changed our Middle East strategy. We will, henceforth, be more aggressive in our approach,” says Tetsuji Okui, managing director, Sanyo Gulf (SFG).
 Sanyo’s solar energy business has been expanding worldwide based on its proprietary solar cell technology, but is only just beginning to make inroads into the solar energy market in the UAE.
 The last financial year saw Sanyo’s Middle East air-conditioning business register a revenue growth of 42 per cent as compared to 2004 with its solar panel business growing more than threefold last year, but largely catering to the African markets.
Now, Sanyo is looking to expand its solar panel market penetration in the GCC in a big way.
 “With the skyline changing every day we intend exploiting the building boom both in the UAE and the GCC and introduce our eco-friendly air-conditioning and refrigeration systems and solar power panels into the market,” says Okui.
 But it is not just the GCC markets that will see Sanyo presence growing. The global giant that’s constantly looking at “solutions for a better life to restore a beautiful earth to future generations” with its new “Think GAIA” vision, will also be seriously looking at tapping the almost virgin markets of Nigeria, Libya and Mozambique in Africa.
 As a leading manufacturer of environment and energy products and services, Sanyo is intent of contributing to further developments in the region with corresponding energy source diversification.
Its new business strategy for the region will see Sanyo expand its commercial products to meet new development projects. Last year, SFG registered $183 million in net sales with air-conditioners and solar panels forming just 28 per cent of the sales. In its new projections, that is about to change with projected net sales in 2008 touching $325 million and air-conditioners, solar panels and bio-medical equipment accounting for 40 per cent.
 “Sanyo’s Middle East strategy will revolve around four fundamental pillars: geographical expansion, new business introduction, expansion into key markets and harnessing human potential,” says Okui who has been heading SFG since 2004.