Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic has relaunched the brand in the
South African market, aiming to become a household name again.
The company plans to introduce a wide range of high quality products across
several categories, including TVs, home theatre systems, home audio systems,
portable audio systems, cameras, home appliances, as well as a full range of
business-to-business equipment and air conditioners.

Speaking at a media briefing at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on Monday 20
April, Daizo Ito, regional head of Panasonic for India, South Asia, Middle East and
Africa, who recently headed a major delegation of senior executives from Japan,
stated that the corporation viewed quality as its measure of excellence.
The widely expanded range of products will be introduced in phases during the year
and beyond 2015.

Panasonic is buoyant about its re-investment in South Africa at this time. The move
is in line with a general increase in business interest, especially among global FMCG
and retail companies, on the African continent. Manufacturers that previously
concentrated on markets in India and the Far East are now turning their attention to
Africa as the new “frontier market’. In South Africa alone, the consumer electronics
market was gauged to be around $9.4bn in 2012, and increasing to $13.6bn by
2016.

Panasonic insists that it has retained has a strong and longstanding network of
retailers throughout South Africa, including all the major chain stores. The company
has already received multiple listings for the new range of products.