In 1959, SANYO earned 800 million yen on sales of 14 billion yen in only 6 months. In the same year, 1,300 new recruits were hired at one time bringing the total number of SANYO employees up to over 8,000. And from the late 1950s to the end of the '60s, sales grew by more than 30% each year. Existing plants were expanded one after the other. SANYO started to produce color TVs and various other appliances for commercial use such as ice cream refrigeration units. SANYO was quickly becoming a comprehensive electric appliance maker. In addition to Tokyo SANYO, the company added three more domestic production bases: the Sumoto Plant in 1964, Tottori SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. in 1967 and the Gifu Plant in 1969. At the same time, SANYO aggressively established global production bases to get around import restrictions on Japanese products. These bases included companies such as SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. in Hong Kong, SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. in Taiwan, and Ghana SANYO Co., Ltd. Toshio's goal was to maintain one hundred plants throughout the world. "I have been very fortunate in my life. Through the support of my parents, wife, friends and employees, I have been able to establish and expand SANYO Electric. And I will continue to make every effort to ensure that SANYO employees have a promising future. I believe that it is also important for me to help the Japanese industry venture into the global market. To do this, the company must develop technologies equal or better than those of other makers around the world. After traveling to many countries, I am confident that we can do this. While keeping Japan as SANYO Electric's headquarters, I plan to maintain many branch manufacturing plants in foreign countries. By exporting innovative products like our transistor radios, I intend to show the world Japan's technological expertise and high–growth potential. In the future, I believe that color TVs and other electric products will further strengthen Japan's reputation as a technological leader."