Binatone
Encyclopedia
Binatone is a private company owned by brothers Partap and Gulu Lalvani
. Binatone was started in the United Kingdom
in 1958 to import and distribute consumer electronics. In the 1980s offices were opened in Spain
, Japan
, South Korea
, Hong Kong
, India
, Nigeria
and Taiwan
.
In 1989 the company was divided, with Gulu Lalvani
, chairman of Binatone Electronics International (BEIL), retaining the Europe
an and Hong Kong businesses, and Partap Lalvani (now Chairman of Binatone Industries, Ltd.) retaining the group's businesses in Eastern Europe
, Africa
and South Asia
. An office in Moscow
was opened in 1994 and an office in Dubai
was opened in 2002.
Partap Lalvani's Binatone employs 350 people in 10 countries and the product range consists of small electronics like personal care products, cooking appliances and DECT telephones.
Binatone was founded in 1959 by two brothers, Gulu and Partap Lalvani. The company was named after Bina, their younger sister.
In 1959 Binatone was the first company to import transistor radios into the UK from Japan. In 1970 Binatone opened buying offices in Hong Kong. In 1974 Binatone entered the TV games market, growing the sector five times in two years. In 1978 Binatone had the best selling TV game in the UK. In 1980 Binatone introduced its version of the Walkman and in 1981 it sold more Walkman's than Sony. In 1983 Binatone was the first in Europe with fixed line telecom. In 1989 Binatone opened its Hong Kong headquarters. In 1996 Binatone was the first company in Europe to introduce DECT telephones. In 2002 Binatone was the 2nd DECT telephone manufacturer in the world. Binatone was the official shirt sponsor of Queens Park Rangers Football Club in 2003/2004, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. In 2004 Binatone entered the Russian telephone market with the Voxtel brand. In 2005 Binatone Telecom was in 55 countries with average growth of 30% per annum. In 2006 Binatone was the 3rd largest telephone manufacturer in Russia with 25% market share. In 2007 Binatone introduced its satellite navigation (GPS) range in Europe and Asia Pacific. In 2007 Binatone was appointed as one of five council board members of Deutsche Telecom. In 2008 Binatone was purchased by Dino Lalvani, son of Gulu Lalvani and formerly its COO and Sales and Marketing Director. Dino Lalvani, 35, has been primarily responsible for Binatone's international expansion and success. In 2008 Binatone was appointed Global Licensee of Motorola Digital Photo Frames, Video and Baby Monitors and North American Licensee of Motorola Digital Corded and Cordless Phones. In 2009 Binatone celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 2009 Binatone is the third largest in satellite navigation (GPS) with 10% market share in the UK. Binatone has 28% market share in the UK in telephones.
Gulu Lalvani
Gulu Lalvani founder and chairman of Binatone, the world’s second largest manufacturer of digital cordless phones.Lalvani, born in Karachi and raised in Bombay, came to Britain as a student. He was born to Marwari Jain family. He founded Binatone in 1958 with his brothers Katar and Partap to...
. Binatone was started in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1958 to import and distribute consumer electronics. In the 1980s offices were opened in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
In 1989 the company was divided, with Gulu Lalvani
Vitabiotics
Vitabiotics is a global nutraceutical company that specializes in vitamin and mineral based formulations focused in various health categories. The company was founded in 1971 by Dr Kartar Lalvani and today is one of the largest vitamin companies in the United Kingdom...
, chairman of Binatone Electronics International (BEIL), retaining the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Hong Kong businesses, and Partap Lalvani (now Chairman of Binatone Industries, Ltd.) retaining the group's businesses in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. An office in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
was opened in 1994 and an office in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
was opened in 2002.
Partap Lalvani's Binatone employs 350 people in 10 countries and the product range consists of small electronics like personal care products, cooking appliances and DECT telephones.
Binatone was founded in 1959 by two brothers, Gulu and Partap Lalvani. The company was named after Bina, their younger sister.
In 1959 Binatone was the first company to import transistor radios into the UK from Japan. In 1970 Binatone opened buying offices in Hong Kong. In 1974 Binatone entered the TV games market, growing the sector five times in two years. In 1978 Binatone had the best selling TV game in the UK. In 1980 Binatone introduced its version of the Walkman and in 1981 it sold more Walkman's than Sony. In 1983 Binatone was the first in Europe with fixed line telecom. In 1989 Binatone opened its Hong Kong headquarters. In 1996 Binatone was the first company in Europe to introduce DECT telephones. In 2002 Binatone was the 2nd DECT telephone manufacturer in the world. Binatone was the official shirt sponsor of Queens Park Rangers Football Club in 2003/2004, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. In 2004 Binatone entered the Russian telephone market with the Voxtel brand. In 2005 Binatone Telecom was in 55 countries with average growth of 30% per annum. In 2006 Binatone was the 3rd largest telephone manufacturer in Russia with 25% market share. In 2007 Binatone introduced its satellite navigation (GPS) range in Europe and Asia Pacific. In 2007 Binatone was appointed as one of five council board members of Deutsche Telecom. In 2008 Binatone was purchased by Dino Lalvani, son of Gulu Lalvani and formerly its COO and Sales and Marketing Director. Dino Lalvani, 35, has been primarily responsible for Binatone's international expansion and success. In 2008 Binatone was appointed Global Licensee of Motorola Digital Photo Frames, Video and Baby Monitors and North American Licensee of Motorola Digital Corded and Cordless Phones. In 2009 Binatone celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 2009 Binatone is the third largest in satellite navigation (GPS) with 10% market share in the UK. Binatone has 28% market share in the UK in telephones.