By Patrick Avenell

After almost half a century of marketing vacuum cleaners in its native Japan, the Sharp Corporation of Australia is for the first time introducing floorcare appliances locally.

The launch range of Sharp’s floorcare offering includes two bagless models, both boasting the ‘Cyclone’ tag that has become very popular over the last decade.

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"Both models offer dust compression, in which the dust forms a doughnut shape, allowing the user to empty the dust with three steps: eject, pop and twist,” said national marketing manager Mark Beard. “With Plasmacluster Ions to clean the air and an auto filter cleaning system inside a light body, these units will promise a completely new experience of vacuuming.”

Sharp is not the first Japanese vendor to expand its Australian range outside its traditional browngoods niche. Over ththe last 18 months, Panasonic Australia has considerably ramped up its appliance range, which now accounts for more than half of all unit sales.

Beard said these two new models were just the start of Sharp’s appliance rollout.

“Although Sharp has been in the Japanese vacuum cleaner market for 40 years, the ECS2142AR and ECS2141AS are the first for Australia,” he said. “These models are only the tip of the iceberg: Sharp will be looking to expand their vacuum range in the future.”

The hero of the Sharp range is the Cyclone Vacuum Cleaner (ECS2142AR, RRP $799), pictured below.