Sanyo

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. was founded in 1947 by Toshio Iue, brother-in-law of Panasonic founder Kōnosuke Matsushita, with the company name meaning 'three oceans' reflecting their global ambitions. Starting with bicycle generator lamps, Sanyo incorporated in 1949 and pioneered several Japanese firsts including plastic radios (1952), pulsator washing machines (1954), and the world's first all-transistor DC-600 stereo system (1963). The company became a major audio equipment manufacturer, producing stereo systems, tape recorders, and quadraphonic equipment for the American market, acquiring Fisher Electronics in 1975. Sanyo achieved significant success with 15 million portable tape recorder units annually by 1980. The original Sanyo Electric was acquired by Panasonic Holdings in 2010, though the Sanyo brand continues through licensing arrangements for consumer electronics including televisions and audio equipment, maintaining presence in major US retailers.