Panasonic, the leading global manufacturer of consumer electronics, is increasing its plasma display production capacity as its parent company Matsushita has announced a US$ 1.6 billion investment towards developing the world’s largest plasma screen manufacturing plant in Amagaski Japan.
The plant is expected to hit full capacity by March 2009 and will be able to produce the equivalent of 500,000 42-inch plasma panels a month, or 6 million a year, increasing Matsushita’s overall capacity to 11 million screens annually. The move puts Panasonic in a position to take up to 40 percent of the world’s plasma screen market, which is expected to grow 200 percent from current figures to touch 10 million by the end of 2006, and hit 25 million by 2010.
Commenting on the investment, Seiji Koyanagi, Managing Director, Panasonic Marketing Middle East, said, “Panasonic is looking to expand its operations in line with anticipated demand. Plasma screen technology is rapidly taking off not just in the Middle East region, but also globally, and is expected to become the standard for displays in the future. Matsushita’s investment will allow Panasonic to generate massive economies of scale and further reduce costs, thereby gaining an unassailable competitive edge over competitors.”
Panasonic will soon launch its top of the line 65- inch HD ready high-definition plasma TV TH-65PV500, equipped with G8 HD plasma panel and its unique Viera color management system, which is a major addition to its existing comprehensive portfolio of plasma TVs with 50-, 42- and 37-inch displays, the large 65-inch display highlights the superiority of plasma technology by boasting excellent handling of fast-paced movement, emphatic contrast, bright crisp images and natural colors.
Panasonic’s global strategy is to be present in both the Plasma and LCD TV markets. Panasonic promotes plasma television for screen sizes larger than 37 inches. As these are best for producing powerful big-screen images with lots of impact and are ideal for the whole family to watch together. In plasma TV the panel itself emits light, so the entire screen produces bright images with deep, expressive blacks under typical living room lighting conditions. Dynamic sequences with lots of motion, such as sporting events or action movies, are rendered smoothly and fluidly. The wide viewing angle and powerful impact of plasma TVs makes them ideal for group viewing by the whole family.
Panasonic markets LCD screen sizes of 32 inches or less for personal use as this system offers plenty of flexibility and is relatively unaffected by reflected glare and deliver bright, subtly modulated images even in brightly lit rooms.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., (MEI) best known for its Panasonic brand, is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronics products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company posted consolidated sales of US$81.44 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. For more information, visit the Matsushita web site at http://www.panasonic.co.jp/global/top.html. Panasonic Gulf FZE (PGF) is MEI’s first subsidiary company in the Middle East, followed by Panasonic Marketing Middle East FZE (PMM), which is the regional marketing headquarters of MEI for operations in the Middle East and African countries.
