Panasonic Corporation celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2018. Konosuke Matsushita founded the company on March 7th, 1918. In the same year, the company introduced an improved attachment plug. The next product was a double cluster socket that made it possible to power lights and appliances from a single source. His innovations may appear small nowadays, but the electronic products provided a new dimension of comfort back then. Matsushita’s vision on how electronic appliances will make consumers’ lives better proved just right. Within 100 years, the company evolved to become one of the leading electronics manufacturers in the world.
Johannes Spatz, President of Panasonic Industry Europe: “Since the very beginning of Panasonic, we’ve addressed society’s needs and developed new technologies to enable people to lead better and more comfortable lives. Our approach to product development has not changed. The technology will keep evolving and we will keep supporting new industry trends as a trusted partner of our customers.”
Towards new technology revolution
Looking to the future, the company identified two areas of constant advancement and fundamental change. Firstly, the electrification of all aspects of the society, starting in the homes, workplaces, factories and vehicles will more and more touch every aspect of life. Secondly, the company supports the ongoing developments in terms of mobility as another game changer for the society of tomorrow.
Mr. Spatz added: “The product development is getting increasingly faster and we will see more innovations in the next 10 years than we have seen over the last 100 years. Electrification, connectivity and automatization will drive this revolution. We are ready to enable our customers to be part of this revolution and support the development of their products and solutions with combined industry expertise.”
Company history
The evolution of the company charts a quest for innovation that began in a tiny two-room tenement in a Japanese village and has developed into a global electronics company.
Some important milestones:
- 1918: Company launched as Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works
- 1918: Improved attachment plug and a double cluster socket manufactured
- 1934: Employee Training Institute founded
- 1935: Matsushita Electric Trading Company established
- 1951: Matsushita visited the United States for the 1st time
- 1952: Technical cooperation with Philips
- 1959: First sales company in North America established
- 1961: First manufacturing site in Southeast Asia established
- 1962: First company in Europe established
- 1965: First manufacturing company in Africa established
- 1966: First manufacturing company in Latin America established
- 1972: First manufacturing company in India established
- 1973: First manufacturing company in the Middle East established
- 1979: Matsushita visited China and started business in China
- 1989: Matsushita passed away
- 2003: Global brand “Panasonic” established
- 2011: Acquisition of Panasonic Electric Works and SANYO Electric
- 2013: New divisional system under four in-house companies implemented to enhance B2B business
- 2014: Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town SST opened
- 2015: Panasonic Automotive and Industrial Systems Europe founded
- 2016: Global concept “A Better Life, A Better World” established
- 2017: Panasonic Industry Europe with its owned subsidiary Panasonic Electric Works Europe formed out of Panasonic Automotive and Industrial Systems Europe with new headquarter in Ottobrunn
