Sharp
Sharp UK is a business technology partner offering integrated IT services, managed print, audio visual, and workplace design solutions across four pillars, serving SMBs, enterprises, education, public sector, healthcare, and charities across the UK and Europe through 14 office locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1912
- Headquarters—
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sharp does
Sharp UK (Sharp Electronics UK Limited) is a subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, the Japanese multinational founded in 1912, operating as a UK-based business-to-business technology partner. The company delivers integrated solutions across four pillars: IT Services (managed IT, cloud, cybersecurity, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ERP, Power Platform, hosted telephony, and Microsoft Copilot consulting), Managed Print (photocopiers, multifunction printers, managed print services, and document management via DocuWare, Filestar, and PaperCut), Audio Visual (BIG PAD interactive displays, digital signage, projectors, ePaper displays, Flex touchscreen tables, OVM/OVM Lite visitor management systems, and meeting room solutions), and Workplace Design (office interior design, furniture, fit-out, and leasing). It also distributes Plasmacluster air purifiers and Dynabook business laptops.
The company serves eight primary customer segments — small-to-medium businesses, corporates and large enterprises, education, public sector, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and charities — through a multi-channel GTM combining direct enterprise sales, inside sales, technology partner programmes, and a dealer network. Named customers span the University of Buckingham, South Essex College, Pupil Referral Unit Kent, Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Multi Academy Trust (education), New Care (healthcare), Iceni Projects and Gower Chemicals (enterprise), and Touchstone (charity). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with revenue derived from hardware sales, recurring managed services, professional services, software licensing, and leasing/financing arrangements.
Sharp UK operates 14 office locations across the UK (London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds) and extends service coverage to 17 European countries. It holds a Microsoft Core-tier Solutions Partnership plus alliances with DocuWare, PaperCut, Brother, and Filestar, and has earned recognition including the MSP 501 ranking, National Technology Awards, Print IT Awards, iF Design Awards 2025, and Keypoint Intelligence Security Validation Award 2025.
Sharp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sharp
- Legal name
- Sharp Electronics UK Limited
- Website
- https://sharp.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1912
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Sharp UK is a business technology partner offering integrated IT services, managed print, audio visual, and workplace design solutions across four pillars, serving SMBs, enterprises, education, public sector, healthcare, and charities across the UK and Europe through 14 office locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sharp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Technology Services
- NAICS
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42342)
- SIC
- Computer & Office Equipment (3570), Office Machines, Nec (3579)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Workplace & Collaboration Consulting (BPAHAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Workplace Technology & Smart Office Support (Room Booking Systems, IT/AV Liaison) (IMAIALAK)
Keywords
Sharp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of printers, photocopiers, multifunction devices, audio visual equipment, interactive displays, projectors, air purifiers, and office furniture. One-time purchase model with optional leasing arrangements.
- Managed Services: Recurring managed IT services, managed print services, and ongoing support contracts providing proactive maintenance, monitoring, and optimisation. Includes Cyber Essentials certification management.
- Professional Services: IT consultancy, implementation services, AV installation, office fit-out design and installation, and Business Central/ERP consultancy and support.
- Software Licensing: Licensing of document management software (DocuWare, Filestar), print management software (PaperCut), digital signage software, and interactive display software.
- Leasing and Financing: Photocopier leasing and office furniture leasing options providing flexible financing for equipment purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise Solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sharp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sharp UK is a business-to-business technology partner that supplies organisations with managed IT services, managed print services, audio-visual equipment (interactive displays, digital signage, projectors, visitor management) and workplace design (interior design, office furniture and fit-out). It manufactures and distributes its own printers, multifunction devices, BIG PAD interactive displays, Plasmacluster air purifiers and Dynabook laptops, and resells and implements Microsoft, DocuWare, PaperCut and Paxton solutions.
Product overview
Sharp is a comprehensive technology solutions provider offering an integrated portfolio of four core pillars: IT Services (managed IT, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, Business Applications/ERP including Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Power Platform, and Unified Communications), Managed Print (photocopiers, printers, managed print services, and document management solutions including DocuWare, Filestar, PaperCut MF, and PaperCut Hive), Audio Visual (BIG PAD interactive displays, digital signage, projectors, ePaper displays, interactive touchscreen tables, visitor management systems including OVM and OVM Lite, AV software and accessories, and meeting room solutions), and Workplace Design (interior design, office furniture, fit-out services, and furniture leasing). Sharp also offers Plasmacluster air purifiers and Dynabook business laptops. The company operates as both a technology solutions integrator (implementing Microsoft ecosystem products) and a product manufacturer (displays, printers, air purifiers), serving organisations across UK and Europe with 14 office locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BIG PAD: Interactive display product line featuring large-format touchscreen displays for collaboration, presentations, and digital whiteboarding in business and education environments.
- Plasmacluster
- Optimised Visitor Management (OVM)
- SharpONE
Products and services
- Managed IT Services Comprehensive IT support services including managed IT, co-managed support, outsourced IT, 24/7 helpdesk and IT procurement for organisations of all sizes.
- Cloud Solutions Microsoft Azure solutions, Modern Workplace implementation, Microsoft 365 deployment and Microsoft Teams integration for scalable cloud infrastructure.
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for multi-site organisations, with industry-specific capabilities for manufacturing, distribution and wholesale, plus mobile warehouse management.
- Microsoft Power Platform Consulting Low-code platform comprising Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Pages and Copilot Studio for building business applications, automating workflows and data analytics.
- Cyber Security Services Security services including Cyber Essentials certification, awareness training, endpoint security, email security, managed firewall, risk assessments and security audits.
- Unified Communications Hosted telephony (VoIP) solutions and video conferencing services for seamless business communication across locations.
- Photocopiers and Multifunction Printers Office photocopiers (colour and black & white), light production photocopiers and refurbished MFPs for organisations of all sizes.
- Office Printers Range of office printers including multifunction printers, laser printers, colour printers and black & white printers.
- Managed Print Services Comprehensive managed print services including enterprise managed print, education print solutions, secure printing and mobile printing with document print management software.
- Sharp BIG PAD Interactive Displays Large-format interactive touchscreen displays for meetings, classrooms and training, available in various sizes with built-in PC, annotation tools, whiteboard functionality and video conferencing support.
- Sharp Digital Signage Displays Commercial-grade digital signage displays for engaging audiences in workplaces, learning environments and public spaces, with drag-and-drop signage software.
- Interactive Touchscreen Tables Flexible interactive touchscreen tables (Flex) usable vertically or horizontally, with Google PlayStore access and up to 8 hours of battery-powered cableless use.
- Sharp Projectors Laser projectors for professional presentations and large venue projection needs.
- Sharp Desktop Displays Professional desktop monitors for office environments.
- Sharp ePaper Displays Ultra-low energy ePaper display solutions for digital signage applications.
- Sharp Optimised Visitor Management (OVM) Smart visitor management platform for guest, employee and contractor registration with touchscreen kiosk, badge printing, QR code check-in, SMS/email notifications and real-time reporting.
- OVM Lite Compact visitor management kiosk with 11-inch touchscreen, integrated webcam, QR-code contactless entry, iOS/Android mobile app support and optional wireless badge printing, integrated with Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace and Paxton Net2.
- Meeting Room Solutions One-Touch meeting room solutions integrating video conferencing, projectors, microphones, speakers, AI tracking cameras and Microsoft Teams.
- Office Interior Design Interior design services for offices including space planning, with specialisation for schools.
- Office Furniture Solutions Comprehensive office furniture including chairs, desks, storage, acoustic panels, breakout furniture, living green walls, booths and pods, education furniture and air purifiers.
- Office Fit Out Complete office fit-out services including education fit-out and Cat B fit-out, available across UK locations including Bristol, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds.
- Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier Range Air purifiers using Plasmacluster Ion Technology with 3-level filtration for killing bacteria, viruses and allergens, removing odours and humidification, in the HD-40, HD-50, HD-60 and KCP-100U-W models.
- Sharp UA-HD40 Plasmacluster Air purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology, 3-level filter system and humidification for rooms up to 26sqm (21sqm with humidity), 2.5L tank and 216m3/h airflow.
- Sharp UA-HD50 Plasmacluster Air purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology for rooms up to 38sqm (28sqm with humidity), 600ml/h humidification, 306m3/h airflow, with sensors for dust, humidity, smell and temperature.
- Sharp UA-HD60 Plasmacluster Air purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology and Ion Shower mode for rooms up to 48sqm (35sqm with humidity), 660ml/h humidification, 396m3/h airflow with dust monitor.
- Sharp KCP-100U-W Plasmacluster Air purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology for rooms up to 75sqm, with remote app control, 3-level filtration, 600m3/h airflow and humidification.
- Dynabook Laptops Business laptops including Portege and Tecra series with powerful processors, up to 16 hours battery life, touchscreen capability, USB-C connectivity and security features including encryption and biometric access.
- Document Management Services Document management services using DocuWare and Filestar platforms, with document security features and print management software (PaperCut MF, PaperCut Hive).
- Microsoft Copilot (AI) Consulting Services Microsoft Copilot consulting services helping organisations explore and adopt AI across Microsoft 365, Power Platform and Copilot Studio.
Quantifiable outcome
- Organisations achieve complete cloud migration enabling 100% agile working and eliminating single points of failure
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sharp
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Sharp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Sharp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MicrosoftcoreSharp is a Microsoft solutions partner offering Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365 Business Central, Microsoft Teams, Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Pages, Copilot Studio), and Microsoft Copilot consulting services. The partnership enables Sharp to deliver cloud solutions, business applications, and AI-powered productivity tools to customers.
- DocuWarecoreDocuWare is offered as part of Sharp's document management services, providing cloud and on-premise document management solutions integrated with Sharp's print and document workflow solutions.
- PaperCutcorePaperCut MF and PaperCut Hive print management software are integrated with Sharp's multifunction printers and managed print services to enable print management, cost control, and FollowMe printing capabilities.
- TouchstoneminorTouchstone is a charity providing health and wellbeing services. Sharp partnered with Touchstone to host a collaborative AI adoption event for not-for-profit leaders, demonstrating Sharp's commitment to supporting charity sector digital transformation. The partnership has evolved from traditional IT support into a strategic partnership aligned with Touchstone's IT objectives.
- CATCH LeedsminorCATCH Leeds is a vibrant space and registered charity that hosted the Sharp and Touchstone collaborative AI adoption event for not-for-profit sector leaders in West Yorkshire.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Sharp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HP UK: HP is a broad incumbent offering printers, PCs, and managed print services at global scale. While Sharp competes in print, HP's much larger scale, broader product portfolio, and direct channel relationships make it a dominant competitor Sharp must position against.
- Canon UK: Canon is a broad incumbent in office imaging, multifunction printers, and document solutions with a much larger global footprint. Sharp and Canon compete for enterprise print contracts and increasingly for managed document services in the UK.
- Fujitsu UK: Fujitsu is a broad incumbent offering IT services, cloud, workplace solutions, and document management in the UK. It competes with Sharp for enterprise digital workplace and managed services contracts, particularly in public sector and large enterprise segments.
Direct peers
- Lexmark UK: Lexmark is a direct peer specializing in enterprise imaging, managed print services, and IoT-enabled print solutions. It competes with Sharp's print and managed services offerings, particularly in larger enterprise accounts.
- Ricoh UK: Ricoh is a direct peer offering office imaging equipment, managed print services, IT services, and workplace solutions in the UK. It competes head-to-head with Sharp across photocopiers, MFPs, document management, and managed services for enterprise and SMB customers.
- Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK: Konica Minolta is a direct peer offering multifunction printers, managed print services, IT services, and digital workplace solutions. It competes with Sharp across similar customer verticals including education, healthcare, and corporate enterprise.
- Xerox UK: Xerox is a direct peer in managed print services, document management, and workplace solutions for UK enterprises. Both companies evolved from print hardware OEMs into broader IT and workplace technology partners, serving overlapping enterprise and SMB segments.
- Toshiba Tec UK: Toshiba Tec is a direct peer in multifunction printers, managed print services, and document solutions. Both companies serve similar enterprise and SMB customers with comparable hardware-plus-services propositions in the UK market.
Regional players
- Bytes Technology Group: Bytes is a leading UK IT services and software licensing distributor serving SMB and enterprise customers with managed services, cloud, and security offerings. It overlaps with Sharp's IT services pillar from a pure-services perspective rather than hardware.
Emerging players
- Brother UK: Brother is a printer and MFP specialist that increasingly competes in managed print and SMB segments. While narrower than Sharp's full portfolio, Brother's strong SMB channel presence and competitive hardware pricing pressure Sharp in lower-end deals.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sharp social profiles
Digital presenceSharp compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Sharp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sharp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sharp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sharp M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sharp
What does Sharp do?
Sharp UK is a business-to-business technology partner that supplies organisations with managed IT services, managed print services, audio-visual equipment (interactive displays, digital signage, projectors, visitor management) and workplace design (interior design, office furniture and fit-out). It manufactures and distributes its own printers, multifunction devices, BIG PAD interactive displays, Plasmacluster air purifiers and Dynabook laptops, and resells and implements Microsoft, DocuWare, PaperCut and Paxton solutions.
Is Sharp a public or private company?
Sharp is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sharp founded?
Sharp was founded in 1912. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
How does Sharp make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are managed Services, professional Services, software Licensing and leasing and Financing.
Who are Sharp's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are HP UK, Canon UK and Fujitsu UK. Direct peers are Lexmark UK, Ricoh UK, Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK, Xerox UK and Toshiba Tec UK. Bytes Technology Group is listed as a regional player. Brother UK is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sharp have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sharp.
What industry is Sharp in?
Sharp's product category is Business Technology Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAEAH, Digital Workplace & Collaboration Consulting, with a secondary code of IMAIALAK, Workplace Technology & Smart Office Support (Room Booking Systems, IT/AV Liaison). Its NAICS code is 541 and its SIC code is 3570.