Panasonic

Panasonic is the global brand name for consumer electronics and other electric products manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. of Japan. The Panasonic name was created in 1955 and was first used as a brand for audio speakers. more...

In more recent history, Matsushita Electric has begun manufacturing more expensive television and audio/video equipment in addition to their entry-level offerings, and as of fall 2005, is using the Panasonic brand name worldwide. They manufacture LCD, plasma and CRT television sets, DVD players, telephones, VCRs, portable CD and analog tape decks and home stereo equipment, all of which is marketed under their slogan "Ideas for Life". Through the Panasonic nameplate, Matsushita was one of the first companies to manufacture Laserdisc players in the early 1980s and was among the group of companies that first conceived the DVD format.

They are a primary sponsor of Toyota's Formula 1 program (Toyota F1), also known as Panasonic-Toyota Racing.

Introduction

Under the Matsushita Electric Industrial Company umbrella, based on profit from 2004 annual sales, Matsushita is the second largest electronics maker trailing Hitachi. If we consider only “white household electrics”, (the name coming from white color of rice cooker, refrigerator, microwave, washer, air conditioner), then Matsushita would be the world’s largest electronics maker. In the past, due to its imitation tactic, Matsushita has been ridiculed as “Maneshita Denki” (“mane” means imitation), but in actuality, Matsushita has a lot of its own product planning, research and development.

Including its related companies, Matsushita centers its enterprise development on home electronics, industrial equipment, and telecommunications equipment. Though not widely advertised before, in recent years, its personal notebook computer line, “Toughbook”, has gained popularity, and commercials are being aired on television.

Read more at Wikipedia.org