Autocrat Sanyo change

Press, 12 May 1987, Page 51

Autocrat Sanyo change

The operating company Autocrat Sanyo, Ltd, the New Zealand manufacturer and marketer of electronic products, has changed its name to Sanyo New Zealand, Ltd. The name change coincides with the launch of the company’s new red trademark which replaces the blue logo it has used for the last 15 years.

Part of an international move in the Sanyo Group, the new trademark follows the 1986 merger of Japanese electronic giants, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd, and Tokyo Sanyo Electric. As a result of structural changes within the company, the following appointments have been confirmed.

Mohammed Khan has become consumer products group manager, Lyall Stewart heads the ECR group, Peter Cribbens is business systems group manager, Mike Moir the computer group manager and John van der Burgh is in charge of the customer service group. Autocrat Radio, Ltd — a partnership set up by three Aucklanders including Mr R. H. Walker, now chairman of Sanyo New Zealand, Ltd — began manufacturing radios in 1946. In 1964, Autocrat Radio became a public company with capital of $1,260,000 and a TV rental subsidiary was formed.

Colour television manufacture began in 1973 and

for six months Autocrat Radio was the only manufacturer of colour televisions in New Zealand. Trading with Sanyo Electric Co. began in 1958 and in 1976 Sanyo became a 20 per cent shareholder in the company when its capital was increased to $3 million. In 1980 there was another increase' in capital, a change in the company’s structure and • a new company name — Autocrat Sanyo Holdings (N.Z.), Ltd. Capital has increased further since that time. The same year saw Autocrat Sanyo become the first company to make video tape recorders available in commercial quantities in New Zealand.