PANASONIC CREATES A NEW COMPANY WITH AN AGILE OFFERING OF BUSINESS PRODUCTS AND INTEGRATED SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS

Bracknell, UK. 8th July 2021 – Panasonic today announced the foundation of a new solutions-focused organisation, Panasonic Connect Europe GmbH, to address the changing technology needs of European businesses. Panasonic Connect Europe will offer diverse B2B technology solutions, alongside an enhanced services capability, to help customers maintain their mission critical operations and organisations to transform their business operations.

The new organisation will bring together Panasonic’s high-quality B2B product portfolio - ranging from manufacturing machines and software to ruggedised mobile computing solutions, and its broadcast and media entertainment portfolio – alongside enhanced consulting, systems integration, project management and application software development skills to create a new technology solutions leader.

“Panasonic Connect Europe will form a new and agile organisation able to respond quickly to the demands of the various industries across the manufacturing, logistics, retail, entertainment, education and public sector,” said Hiroyuki Nishiuma, current Managing Director of Panasonic System Communications Company Europe (PSCEU), who will become the Managing Director of the new Panasonic Connect Europe. “We look forward to combining our product expertise with our enhanced solutions capability to help businesses transform their operations for the future.”

An integral part of the new company will be business frontline process innovation — called “Gemba Process Innovation” — which draws on Panasonic’s vast business, technology and solutions know-how and is a transformational approach to radically review, redesign and reinvent operations. It uses innovative technologies to deliver new ways of working to increase efficiencies and improve customer satisfaction.

The Gemba Process Innovation team will advise and deploy edge devices, smart sensing and robotics, improve visualisation of operations by using digitalised data, deliver operational optimisation and process automation, and enable total optimisation across the supply chain.

Panasonic Connect Europe will also be supported by its own European service and support centre. The new business will also draw on the expertise of:

Zetes, a wholly owned Panasonic business, which develops and markets supply chain software and solutions providing agility, visibility and traceability across connected supply chains; and Blue Yonder, which Panasonic recently announced that it will be acquiring, the world leader in digital supply chain and omni-channel commerce fulfilment.

About Panasonic Connect Europe

Panasonic Connect Europe will begin operations in the second half of Panasonic fiscal year 2021 with more than 400 employees, focused on the existing product business and solutions delivery. The business will spearhead operations with its major new B2B solutions initiative called “Gemba Process Innovation”.

Panasonic Connect Europe will be headquartered in Wiesbaden and consist of the following business units:

• The Mobile Solutions Business Division helping mobile workers improve productivity with its range of Toughbook rugged notebooks, business tablets and handhelds.
• The Media Entertainment Business Division incorporating Visual System Solutions offering a range of high brightness and reliable projectors as well as high quality displays; and Broadcast & ProAV offering Smart Live Production solutions from an end-to-end portfolio consisting of PTZ and system cameras, camcorders, the Kairos IT/IP platform, switchers and robotic solutions that are widely used for live event capture, sports production, television, and xR studios.
• Business and Industry Solutions delivering tailored technology solutions focused on Retail, Logistics and Manufacturing. Designed to increase operational efficiency and enhance customer experience, helping businesses to perform at their best, every day.
• Panasonic Factory Solutions Europe selling a wide range of smart factory solutions including electronics manufacturing solutions, robot and welding systems and software solutions engineering.