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Panasonic to end production of photovoltaic products by 2022

7 Comments

Panasonic Corp on Monday announced that it has decided to cease the production of photovoltaic products at its factories in Malaysia and Shimane Prefecture. This will result in the company’s withdrawal from the production of photovoltaic products in the course of fiscal year 2022 that ends in March 2022 , completing the structural reform of its photovoltaic business.

The sales of photovoltaic modules in and outside Japan will continue.

With regard to the factory in Malaysia, Panasonic will stop the operation of photovoltaic wafer, cell and module production in fiscal 2022. While looking into transferring assets such as the building and land property, the local entity of the factory, Panasonic Solar Energy Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. will be liquidated. Panasonic will support impacted employees with sincerity, providing measures including premium severance payment and outplacement assistance.

As for Shimane factory, the production of power-conditioners (inverters), storage batteries, and other products will continue while photovoltaic cell production will end in the fiscal year 2022. For the employees involved in the photovoltaic cell production, employment will be maintained by transferring to other business areas where growth is expected, basically within the factory.

With the withdrawal of production, the photovoltaic R&D functions of Nishikinohama factory in Kaizuka City, Osaka, will be downsized accordingly and human resources will be shifted to other growth areas. Panasonic will continue the sales of photovoltaic modules under the Panasonic brand in Japan by subcontracting production to its manufacturing partners.

For the global market outside Japan, the company will also continue to sell outsourced photovoltaic modules as it has been doing in North America. Panasonic remains committed to contributing the realization of a carbon neutral society through its energy solution business that combines products such as HEMS, photovoltaic modules, power-conditioners (inverters), storage batteries and EV chargers.

© Panasonic

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

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Photovoltaic modules???

Solar panels to us luddites. Thank you Google.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I agree Hillclimber. It seems once again Chinese manufacturing is taking its toll of foreign manufacturers.

A quick search shows that in 2019, Panasonic was attempting to create some kind of partnership with Chinese makers, but that deal was abandoned in 2020.

My search also shows that Tesla and Panasonic also ended their potential partnership in 2020 as Tesla and Panasonic seemed to have "issues" with actual production numbers.

So it appears several factors are at work here and is safe to say that Chinese makers makers ability to undercut Panasonic, and Panasonic having no major customers on the scale of Tesla, has led to this closure and reorganization.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Panasonic used to be a great company but now is a sad shell.

The solar and rechargeable section was mostly based on R&D they acquired from buying Sanyo with was far ahead of most in the field.

Then Panasonic sat on their hands doing nothing to keep up and now they are behind just about everyone.

Just look at what happened with enloop Sanyo had 4, 8, even 24 battery charger even a solar option, Panasonic dropped it all for just the 4 batter one.

Now every company in China offers Chargers that will chat enloop and others from 2 to 50 including multiple choices of solar charging.

When asked why they discontinue the solar charger the company replied they saw market for it.

Sure if you only look at Japan, but the North American outdoors/camping market was growing far at the time as well as other uses.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Meet Vsun, a self-proclaimed subsidiary of Fujitsu in Vietnam.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2021/01/04/vsun-to-build-4-gw-panel-factory-in-vietnam/

However, there is absolutely no Japanese in any level of company management. If there are any so-called Japanese solar manufacturers in the world, I bet that 3 in 4 of them are Chinese/Vietnamese. Because both Chinese and Vietnamese businesses have been using the name of Japanese firms for brand advertising and deflection of Western legal hurdles. Chinese and Vietnamese businesses simply sign a contract to borrow the name of any big Japanese corporation for an annual fee, while those new companies will be categorized as subsidiaries of those Japanese corporations but all revenues and management aren't Japanese at all.

Panasonic or Mitsubishi has been doing this to look big as a way of luring naive foreign investors. In truth, many Keiretsu groups aren't really that big anymore. I bet the Panasonic factory in Malaysia is definitely a Chinese one for sure.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Panasonic or Mitsubishi has been doing this to look big as a way of luring naive foreign investors. In truth, many Keiretsu groups aren't really that big anymore. I bet the Panasonic factory in Malaysia is definitely a Chinese one for sure.

If these companies are owned by Mitsubishi then Mitsubishi does control them, you are wrong

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Chinese bottom dollar production is the driving force behind Panasonic's decision. Overseas markets would rather pay for solar panels that last "around" 15 years and go to the trouble of replacing them when they fail, instead of buying quality panels which have a 30 year guarantee.

I wouldn't say that. When we bought our solar system we went with a Korean manufacturer with a stellar reputation. It cost more but they are more durable than the Chinese cells, guaranteed to maintain at least 75% of their original power after 30 years. We see the same company putting these panels up around town so there seem to be plenty of us willing to pay up front for higher quality.

Panasonic is funny. Actually it vexes me. They have walked away from many of their former business lines recently. They used to sell some very high quality appliances in the US and TVs but no more. A real shame because we have always liked Panasonic products very much. So much so in fact we bought a Japan market Panasonic Rulo robot vac and now I have to figure out the Japanese language owners manual, lol. Can't find an English language version anywhere. D'oh!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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