Clarion (company)

Faurecia Clarion Electronics Co., Ltd.
Native name
フォルシアクラリオン・エレクトロニクス株式会社
Faurushia Kurarion Erekutoronikusu kabushiki gaisha
Company typeSubsidiary (kabushiki gaisha)
IndustryAutomotive
Consumer electronics
FoundedDecember 18, 1940
HeadquartersSaitama, Saitama, Japan
Key people
Tatsuhiko Izumi (Representative Director, Chairman and CEO) Hidetoshi Kawamoto (Representative Director, President and COO)
ProductsCar audio and automotive navigation systems
Number of employees
10,037 (Consolidated)
ParentFaurecia
Websiteclarion.com

The Faurecia Clarion Electronics Co., Ltd. (フォルシアクラリオン・エレクトロニクス株式会社, Faurushia Kurarion Erekutoronikusu kabushiki gaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of car audio, automotive navigation systems, AutoPCs, visual equipment, bus equipment, and communication equipment. It is since 2019 fully owned by Faurecia Clarion Electronics.

A Clarion sound system in the trunk/boot of a car.

Up until the end of 2005, products in Japan were marketed under the brand name AddZest, while outside Japan the same product typically carried the Clarion name brand. This was changed in 2006, and the brand "Clarion" along with a redesigned logo are now used worldwide. It is known for its close relationship with Nissan, which uses Clarion products almost exclusively in its vehicles.[1] Nissan once owned a 6.25% share in Clarion, although that was reduced in 2002.[2][3]

Clarion has an OEM relationship with many automotive companies, providing car headunits and components to them for their production vehicles. Clients include Saab Automobile, Suzuki, Ford, Volkswagen, Proton, Toyota, Subaru, and Peugeot.[4]

A contest is held annually to select the Clarion Girl, who is chosen to represent Clarion's car audio equipment in television and print advertising campaigns during the following year. The contest was started in 1975, and is now co-sponsored by Fuji TV.

  1. ^ "USA: Clarion equips '03 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles with satellite radio". Just-auto.com. 28 March 2002.
  2. ^ "JAPANS NISSAN SELLS MAJORITY OF ITS SHARES IN CLARION. Industry & Business Article - Research, News, Information, Contacts, Divisions, Subsidiaries, Business Associations". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved December 28, 2006.
  3. ^ "Japan: Nissan licenses camera technology to Clarion". Automotive World. 14 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Clarion U.S.A | Corporate Information". Clarion.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.