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Here’s a detailed overview of Brother Industries, Ltd. (“Brother”) — what they are, how they evolved, what they make, their strengths & weaknesses, and current issues.
What is Brother
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Name & Origin: Brother Industries, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational manufacturer. It began in 1908 as the Yasui Sewing Machine Company in Nagoya, Japan.
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Over time it expanded from sewing machines into office electronics, printing, labelling, imaging, and also industrial machines.
History & Milestones
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Started doing sewing machine repairs in 1908, then manufacturing sewing machines.
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Expanded into typewriters, office machines, and then printers & imaging.
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In Europe since 1958; first major European base in Ireland. Acquired a sewing machine factory (Jones Sewing Machine) in Manchester in 1968.
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Over a century of continuous operation; Brother often uses the tagline “At Your Side”.
Size, Reach & Financials
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Headquarters: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
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As of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, consolidated sales revenue was ~ ¥876,558 million Japanese yen.
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Number of employees: ~42,800 globally.
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Brother has production facilities (many in Asia) and sales / service presence around the world.
What Brother is Known For — Strengths
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Diversity in products — not just printers, but sewing machines, labels, industrial tools. Helps spread risk and reach different customer segments.
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Reliability & brand trust — many users consider Brother’s printers and sewing machines to be durable and reliable. Long history helps.
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Global support & service — widespread presence, so spare parts, service centers are often available in many countries.
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Focus on sustainability & eco-design — there are mentions of environmental activities, energy-efficient printers, etc.
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Innovation — things like mobile/self-contained printers, wireless connectivity, label printers, etc.
Challenges & Weaknesses
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Cost of consumables — toner, ink, parts etc. often factor in heavily; like many printer companies, consumables can be expensive.
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Firmware / software criticisms — there have been recent security vulnerabilities in many Brother printer models. For example, a serious flaw (CVE-2024-51978) allows attackers who know a printer’s serial number to derive the default admin password. Some models cannot be fully fixed by firmware update.
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User complaints about support or updates — some users report long wait times for support, confusing firmware updates, etc. (Common with many large hardware manufacturers.)
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Complex model numbering / product choice confusion — like many large companies, the many models (especially printers / all-in-ones) can be overwhelming to pick between. Users sometimes say that newer models are worse, or specs are downgraded vs older ones.
Recent Issues / News
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As mentioned, the security vulnerability in many Brother printers.
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Brother was recently recognised in IDC MarketScape (2025) for leadership, especially in “hardcopy remanufacturing” and for strengths in eco-design.
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Continued expansion and development in markets like India (e.g. new technology centres).
Final Thoughts
Brother is a well-established, diversified technology / electronics / machinery company with strong presence in printing & sewing / home/office equipment. For most users, it offers good reliability, widespread service, and decent product variety. However, issues like ongoing firmware security risks, the cost of consumables (ink/toner), and sometimes confusing product stratification are real considerations.