- Business
- Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad manufactures and sells electrical home appliances and related components primarily under the Panasonic and KDK brands; its core products encompass vacuum cleaners, irons, bidets, reverse osmosis water purifiers, electric fans, ceiling fans, ventilating fans, dish dryers, water purification systems, and home showers, categorized into Living Appliances and Solutions Company (LASC) products such as vacuum cleaners, irons, bidets, and reverse osmosis water purifiers, and Heating & Ventilation A/C Company (HVAC) products including electric fans, ceiling fans, ventilating fans, dish dryers, water purification systems, and home showers. The company operates two manufacturing plants in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, serving domestic markets in Malaysia and exporting to Japan, Asia (including ASEAN countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines), the Middle East, North America, Europe, and other regions, with Malaysia, ASEAN, and the Middle East comprising the majority of its revenue. Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor, it changed its name from Matsushita Electric Company (Malaysia) Berhad to Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad in 2005 and functions as a key subsidiary within Panasonic Holdings Corporation's global manufacturing network focused on lifestyle appliances. Recent strategic developments include the discontinuation of small kitchen appliances and rice cooker businesses as of March 2023 to streamline operations and reallocate capacity toward core products and new growth areas; the launch of innovative products in FYE 2024 (ended March 31, 2024) such as the first cordless stick vacuum cleaner in Asian markets including Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, a 3-blade remote control ceiling fan in Malaysia, reverse osmosis water purifier in Vietnam, water purification system in Indonesia, manual water bidet in Malaysia, and new instant home shower series (V and W) across Asia; strengthened partnership with Capital Distributors (S) Pte. Ltd. for the launch of KDK-branded home showers in Singapore; expansion into water solutions as a new profit pillar amid rising demand for purification products; and advancement toward Smart Factory status by 2030 through Industry 4.0 initiatives like IIoT implementation across 94% of assembly lines and digitization of 40% of preventive maintenance tasks.