Panasonic Corporation (formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.) is a multinational corporation based in Kadoma, Japan.
Panasonic was founded in 1918 by Konosuke Matsushita. The company was first selling duplex lamp sockets.
In 1931 began the production of radios. But earlier, in 1927, it produced a bicycle lamp, and it was their first product marketed under the brand name National – meaning for people, for nation. The production of road and touring bicycles and their components composed a substantial portion of the goods manufactured by National/Panasonic Corporation from 1945 through the end of the 1980s.
In 1955, the company labeled its export audio speakers "PanaSonic", which was the first time it used its "Panasonic" brand name. This name was created from the elements "pan" meaning "all" combined with "sonic" meaning "sound”.
After Konosuke Matsushita traveled to the United States in 1961, Panasonic began producing television sets for the U.S. market under the Panasonic brand name, and expanded the use of the brand to Europe in 1979. The company began opening its plants around the world. It quickly developed a reputation for its reliable products - televisions, radios, and home appliances.
In the 1980-s, Panasonic continued to produce high-quality electronics, such as short-wave radios, and developed a successful line of stereo receivers, CD players, and other components.
The company was always open to cooperation. And, due to the partnership with Leica Camera AG company, the expert in lenses for photo cameras, Panasonic launched the world’s first digital camcorder with Leica Dicomar optics. Nowadays the collaboration between companies results in a line up of Panasonic Lumix digital cameras.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. produced electronic products under different brands, such as: Panasonic (personal electronics, audio/video equipment, microchips, automotive components), National (home appliances for the Japanese market), Sanyo, Technics (music equipments like headphones). Some brand names that are associated only with Panasonic include their Viera televisions and Lumix digital cameras.
In 2003 the company introduced the global brand and slogan, “Panasonic. Ideas for life.” And in 2008, the company announced that it would change its name to "Panasonic Corporation".
