Sony, which is struggling to make a profit from selling Bravia TVs, has acquired a 7.04 per cent stake in a Sharp TV factory that will manufacture and assemble display panels for selected Bravia T’s. The rest of the range will be made by low-cost manufacturers in China and Taiwan.

The acquisition gives Sony the right to 7 per cent of panels produced at the new Sharp factory in Sakai in Western Japan.

Sony said that plans to raise the stake to as much as 34 per cent by April 2011. The deal will allow Sony to continue using the “Made In Japan” branding on selected models in the Bravia TV range.

In 2010, Sony plans to launch several 3D Bravia TVs with DisplaySearch, claiming that it will be a catalyst for growth for the struggling consumer electronics company.