Sanwa

Sanwa Electronic Instrument Co., Ltd., widely known as Sanwa, is a brand of wireless equipment best known for its high end radio-controlled transmitters for scale modelling use. The company have been a subsidiary of the SMC Group since 1965 and began to diversify into the manufacturing of radio-controlled transmitters in 1974 and remote control devices for home and industrial use since 1985.

Sanwa, originally as part of Sansei Electric Industry, specialized in the research and development of remote control devices in 1959. It merged with Sanwa Denki Manufacturing in 1965 and then became part of the SMC Group. In January 1974, Sanwa entered production and sales of transmitters for radio-controlled models and in December, became a member of the Japan Radio Control Model Industrial Association (JRM).[1]

In 1975, Sanwa became a division on its own, with an office in Tokyo. In August that year it launched its first radio-controlled transmitter, the Mini Propo, and in 1976, Sanwa became an independent company. Its M-sechs wheeled transmitter was the recipient of the Good Design Award in 1990.[1] In 1985, Sanwa diversified into the production of remote controls for domestic and industrial purposes.[2]