Panasonic Transforms New Energy to Build Green Appliances

According to Matsushita’s management headed by Daechi Hiroshi, the biggest strategic transformation since Matsushita’s establishment was necessary, not only because the global financial crisis in 2008 had severely depressed the consumer electronics industry in Japan, but also that it was urgent to complete the Three important changes.

“By the 100th anniversary of Matsushita Group’s founding in 2018, the ratio of environmentally friendly product sales has doubled by 30% compared to fiscal 2009. This includes energy sources such as fuel cells, solar cells, and lithium batteries, as well as inverter air conditioners and LED lighting. "The president of Panasonic Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. Wenxiong told reporters on October 6th.

This environmental action plan, known as the "2018 Green Plan," has become the most central plan for Panasonic's strategic transformation since fiscal 2010. The plan also proposes that the CO2 reduction contribution in 2018 will reach 120 million tons (compared with 2005), the energy business scale will reach 3 trillion yen, and more than 16% of renewable energy input/investment resources will be used in the production process, and waste recycling Above 99.5%.

Green Revolution

In order to achieve this goal, in reducing CO2, in order to maximize the contribution of CO2 reduction in production activities and commodity use, the original CO2 weight of logistics will be reduced by more than 46%, and the office's CO2 emissions will be reduced by more than 2%. This includes the promotion of CO2 reduction activities with suppliers and the promotion of energy conservation support services for the entire plant.

Panasonic announced in its "GT12 Plan" in May 2010 that global sales of solar cells reached 900 megawatts in 2012 and became Japan's domestic No.1 target. This new plan will set the target for global access in 2015. The top three, while Germany's Q-CELLS, the United States's First Solar, and China's Wuxi Suntech are among the top three, Japan's Sharp and Kyocera are ranked four or five, and Sanyo, once ranked in the top five in the world, fell to No. 10 people.

Sanyo Electric has HIT solar cell technology with the highest global photoelectric conversion efficiency, but its marketing ability and brand influence have limited its market position to rise instead of falling. After Panasonic’s acquisition of Sanyo Electric, it has been since July 2010. Started sales of HIT solar cells using Panasonic's brands and channels. In Japan, sales channels such as Matsushita and Sanyo’s home appliances, electrical materials, and building materials were used. In foreign countries, sales of systems including energy storage and energy management were enhanced. .

In addition, experts from Sanyo Electric Solar Research Institute, Tian Zhongcheng revealed that the front-end production of Sanyo solar cells is mainly in Japan's Shimane, Shiga and other places, and the back-end is concentrated in Hungary, the United States, Oregon, California and Mexico, Monterrey, etc. The factory, but the production of solar cells with a green conversion efficiency of more than 23% for the next generation will be expected to begin construction at the Amagasaki factory of Panasonic before 2013.

In addition to solar cells, Panasonic's own fuel cell began to cooperate with gas companies such as Shizuoka Gas, Western Gas, and Kyocera Gas in 2009 to promote 2,200 units. The next goal is to promote 2.5 million units by 2020. Each year, CO2 emissions can be saved by 3 million tons.

Forced revolution

Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. proposed that the transition from the formerly focused on existing businesses (digital AVC networks, electrified residential devices, household appliances, etc.) to new areas such as energy-intensive industries, and the transition from the center of Japan to a thorough global orientation.

After the global financial crisis, Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd., which had the best performance in 1985 (with a net profit of 281 billion yen) in 2007, suffered losses of 379 billion yen and 103.5 billion yen respectively in 2008, and it had its own advantages. The advantages of television, home appliances, and other fields also began to be lost. Its TV global share of 8.7% ranked fourth, while Samsung and LG Electronics used exchange rate advantages to achieve 22.4% and 13.4% respectively.

According to Panasonic's fiscal year 2009 annual report, its digital AVC network business (TVs, digital cameras, Blu-ray players, etc.) accounted for 39% of sales, while household appliances (ice wash, lighting and environmental protection systems) and electricians (including The sales of Matsushita Housing accounted for 13% and 19%, respectively.

With Sony's overall business focused on television, games, digital and film and television, Hitachi, Toshiba began to transform into infrastructure such as electricity. What is different is that Matsushita Electric's business is being subjected to fierce competition from consumer electronics companies in South Korea and China. Especially in the traditional white goods and other fields.

Under such circumstances, in addition to its own research and development in the fields of energy sources such as fuel cells and small lithium batteries, inverter air conditioners, and large central air conditioners, Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd. considers that it is necessary to complete its own comprehensive transformation through mergers and acquisitions. In 2009, the merger and acquisition of Sanyo Electric and the subsidiary company of Sanyo Electric and Matsushita Electric Works began in August this year.

Matsushita Electric put forward six key businesses after these two mergers and acquisitions. However, in 2009, the sales of the six major businesses accounted for only 35%, and Panasonic’s proposed goal was to increase to more than 55%, with the largest increase coming from In the field of energy such as solar cells, 3 trillion yen is not a task that is difficult to accomplish in the view of Otaru.

In addition, Matsushita Electric also cultivates the three major businesses of health care, security, and LED lighting as the next-generation pillar industries. Its goal is to achieve a sales target of 1 trillion yen by 2015.