Brother
Established in 1934 to manufacture and distribute sewing machines, Japan’s Brother Industries’ product mix now also includes machine tools and information and communications equipment such as printers, facsimiles and multi-function centers. Focused very much at the value-end of the market, Brother has expanded its business operations overseas, with 19 production facilities and 41 sales companies in 39 countries and regions, and in 2007 this delivered 562bn Yen. The company is currently in the second of three phases in a 10 year programme where driving growth is the priority, and it is making large capital expenditures and substantial investments in R&D programmes.

Xerox
Having stalled in recent years, Xerox is becoming an innovation powerhouse again, producing new technologies that can read, understand, route, and protect documents. It provides the industry's broadest portfolio of offerings. Digital systems include colour and black-and-white printing and publishing systems, digital presses and ‘book factories’, multifunction devices, laser and solid-ink network printers and copiers, as well as associated software, support and supplies such as toner and paper. With 2007 revenues of $17.2bn, Xerox commited 5% of this to R&D with a focus on six S's: making systems simpler, speedier, smaller, smarter, more secure, and socially responsible.