Panasonic gets down to business

Electronics giant Panasonic has added a new suite of products to its arsenal as it looks to expand beyond consumer and gain a foothold in the business market.

The push has already seen Panasonic ink a deal with distributor Hills SVL for its high definition visual communications (HDVC) solution, and the company will later this year release a new range of business projectors, up to 30 IP cameras, SIP hosted telephony technology, as well as the tablet version of its ruggedised Toughbook notebook.

Panasonic’s business systems group director Mark Deere-Jones said concerns about economic instability had fuelled demand for business solutions that alleviated some of the pressure.

“Whilst everyone is saying the economy is tough, businesses want things that will improve their productivity and efficiency, and enhance their product offering to the end-user,” Deere-Jones said. 

“The consumer division is what Panasonic is known for and by far is its largest division, but we’ve decided we’ve got some fantastic products and solutions and we want to promote them more than we have in the past.”

He said the hospitality industry and entertainment venues had not kept pace with technological advancements. 

“They need to improve their in-house experience,” he said. “As a consumer you can have a fantastic experience with a 42'', 50'' plasma surround sound, because it’s so cheap and easily accessible." 

"But if you go to a venue; a pub, club, hotel they haven’t kept pace with what’s happening in consumer land. To lure people out of their homes you have to be able to offer the equivalent or better of what they’ve got in their homes.”

Deere-Jones cited the mobility trend as another market opportunity for Panasonic. The company plans to unveil its ToughPad tablet in several months’ time, initially launching with Android but a Windows 8 version is in the works. 

“One of the biggest challenges is making sure the tool of the trade you have is rugged enough to stand up to all the challenges,” he said. “The tablet market is exploding, but the tablet is also a delicate tool. Our ToughPad is not.”

Despite Panasonic’s new outlook, Deere-Jones said its flagship consumer division would not lag behind.

“On the consumer side we’re getting into even more markets like home appliances, building on our air conditioners, and also looking at personal care products,” he said. “In Japan, we probably have three to four times the range of products and solutions available there. What we’re doing is globalising those products.”