Sennheiser officially announces the launch of its Japan subsidiary, Sennheiser Japan KK. Guests at the opening ceremony included Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser, chairman of the Sennheiser Supervisory Board; Dr. Bernd Fischer, chargé d'affaires of Germany in Japan; Manfred Hoffman, celegate of German Industry and Commerce and executive director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan; as well as numerous representatives of the national audio industry. Volker Bartels, speaker of the Executive Team and president of Manufacturing and Logistics, and Paul Whiting, president of Global Sales were representing the Sennheiser management at the event. The opening ceremony was accompanied by classic Japanese music. The globally renowned Yoshida Brothers performed on traditional Japanese instruments for the international audience, and, of course, used high-end Sennheiser equipment.
Describing the Japan launch as an important step in the history of Sennheiser, Prof. Dr. Sennheiser said: "The Japanese market has always been very important for us, and with General Traders we have always had a dedicated local partner at our side. We are now looking forward to expanding our business in Japan and to further integrate the market into our global corporate strategy. With Sennheiser Japan, we now have the opportunity to be even closer to our Japanese customers and their market-specific needs." Dedicated to incorporating special requirements of the Japanese market, the audio specialist, with headquarters in Germany, will host a high-ranking panel discussion as part of the opening event. One day after the official launch of Sennheiser Japan, an invited audience will participate in the discussion on "Analogue microphones in a digital world." Panelists are Prof. Dr. Sennheiser, who will introduce the topic with an inaugural speech, as well as local audio specialists representing the Japanese economy and the broadcasting and education sectors.
The decision to establish a Sennheiser subsidiary in Japan was first announced at the InterBee trade fair in Tokyo in November 2007. In January 2008 Sennheiser Japan officially started its business activities. Meanwhile the company has appointed a team of seven employees, headed by Mr. Sho Kubo, Managing Director of Sennheiser Japan, he expects this number to rise to 14 for 2008. The core tasks of the team are domestic sales, marketing, market research, and finance and controlling.
In the future, Sennheiser Japan will focus on both its professional and consumer product segments. The objective is to reinforce the Sennheiser brand image within the professional audio market, and create brand awareness in the consumer market. "We want to continue our excellent cooperation with our customers in the professional segment and additionally increase and strengthen our bonds with them," said Kubo on the occasion of the launch. "With our ear to the market we want to provide them with customized solutions which respond directly to their needs and requirements." The professional market traditionally plays an important role in Japan. Many cultural institutions such as the New National Theatre Tokyo, the Imperial Theatre, the Shiki Theatrical Company, the public broadcaster NHK, and soon Tokyo Disneyland are equipped with Sennheiser products and rely on the high quality of the international premium brand for their productions. But Sennheiser Japan will also focus on the consumer electronics market, an area that is developing extremely well for Sennheiser, and which also holds excellent business opportunities in Japan. "In order to succeed in the consumer market, we will put much effort into our marketing activities and aim to increase the Sennheiser brand awareness and recognition," added Kubo.
With the opening of the subsidiary in Japan, Sennheiser will enhance direct access to its top-end products, systems, and services for local customers. In the professional sector, wireless microphone systems for theatres and broadcast stations are among the most important products, while headphones will be the key to drive the consumer part of the business. With creative solutions and high-quality standards, Sennheiser Japan is committed to building long-term relationships with its customers.