22
Jul
2006
We’re not perfect. Some things just escape our attention. Take this, for example: Panasonic USA turns out to offer the possibility to create your own framed plasma masterpiece.
Haven’t got money for a real Van Gogh? Tired of looking at the crying boy? Pimp your plasma! First, you choose one of the plasma monitors. Then, select a frame that best suits your style and decor. Voilà!
(source: Panasonic newsletter)
12
Jul
2006
AV Zombie: Panasonic has won six awards in the 2006 Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs), dominating the event. However they didn’t win anything for their plasma or CE products.
Instead the prizes came from work on an emergency flashlight, high-tech washer-dryer, pro-HD camcorder, security camera, fridge and home-power fuel cell.
The result is a big payback for the brand, which has devoted a huge resource to design. With around 300 designers on its payroll, the company typically runs 3,500 design projects a year.
Internal design competitions are run to inspire creative thought and generate new ideas. The best ideas earn the winners prizes, one such being a holidays for two in Hawaii. Design accolades, which are decided by members of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), also went to Samsung, Eastman Kodak and Philips.
Posted by ryan in Car Entertainment, Corporate, TV, HDTV & 3D | Tagged: design-awards , idea , panasonic | 1 Comment
11
Jul
2006
The new president of Matsushita Electric Industrial, 60-year old Fumio Ohtsubo, said in his inauguration speech in Japanthat he hopes to boost the annual sales of Panasonic’s plasma screens by a massive 70 percent, to one trillion yen; as well as increase revenue from semiconductor chips to 650 billion yen a year; boost revenue from its car electronics division to one trillion yen (from 690 billion in the last fiscal year) and home appliances to 3 trillion yen (from 2.5 trillion yen).
Ohtsubo replaces Kunio Nakamura, now chairman of the board, who won kudos for the way he has reversed the company’s perilous finances, from a record loss of nearly 200 billion yen in 2002 to a 400 billion yen profit in 2005.
It’s all part of a change of focus away from restructuring. “My mission as president,” he says, “is to make a phase change toward growth. Unless we achieve higher levels of success in flat TVs, car electronics, home appliance and semiconductor businesses where our strength already lies, we can not evolve into a globally excellent company.” A business plan and timetable to achieve this growth will be presented in January 2008.
Ohtsubo also said he’s aiming for a 5 per cent operating profit margin in the financial year ending March 2007, doubling to 10 percent by 2010. “If we can meet this operating margin target, we can be seen as a globally excellent company,” he proclaimed.
Source: AV zombie
Posted by ryan in Car Entertainment, Corporate, Home Entertainment Systems, TV, HDTV & 3D | Tagged: car-electronics , matsushita , ohtsubo , panasonic , plasma | 1 Comment