Panasonic President Tsuga Delivers Opening Keynote at CES

OSAKA, Japan, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga kicked off the 2013 edition of the International CES, one of the world’s largest consumer electronics shows, by delivering the opening keynote speech at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 8, 2013 (PST). In setting the tone for the exhibition and the industry this year, Mr. Tsuga highlighted in his speech Panasonic’s commitment as an eco-engineering company to offering innovative, eco and smart solutions that are the products of the efforts of its employees around the world to make a better world as well as creating real value for its customers.

He was joined by Joe Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America, who introduced Panasonic’s new 4k and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV technologies and energy solutions while reiterating the company’s focus on its “Business to Business to Consumer” strategy. He also referred to Panasonic’s new U.S. headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, now being constructed in accordance with the LEED (Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification requirements, as an example of Panasonic’s commitment to engineering a better world.

Special guest speakers on stage included Mr. Tim Vanderhook, Co-founder and CEO of Specific Media, Mr. Phil Abram, Chief Infotainment Officer of General Motors, Mr. Rob Fyfe, former Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand, Chairman of the Star Alliance and Member of the Board of Governors at IATA, and Mr. Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey (in order of appearance). In addition, Mr. Keith Turner, President of Sales and Marketing at Univision, Mr. Elon Musk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Motors, photojournalist Mr. Daniel Berehulak, Jim Compton, Vice Chairman of United Airlines, and Ms. Abby Wambach and Ms. Alex Morgan, members of the U.S. women’s soccer team for the London 2012 Olympic Games also appeared in the video during the keynote.

The following is a summary of the keynote presentation:

Opening remarks by Kazuhiro Tsuga, President of Panasonic Corporation

Although my current responsibilities have expanded somewhat since I began at Panasonic in 1979, I am first and foremost an engineer, which forms the basis of my perspective and passion. Engineers tend to be rational and analytical, but we are also passionately driven to solve problems and turn idealistic vision into useful realities. In fact, most of us care quite deeply about making the world we live in better.

Many people think of Panasonic as a television manufacturing company. In fact, for nearly one hundred years we have been making a vast range of products that are enhancing the lives of customers around the world as an engineering company. With our long-standing commitment to sustainability, this makes us uniquely able to offer innovative solutions that are both eco and smart. This is the Panasonic I want to share with you today, an eco-engineering company powered by the efforts of thousands of employees around the world who are driven to make the world we live in better

What drives us at Panasonic is people, in other words customers. We have been stepping up our efforts to create real value for our customers, which are based on two fundamental things. First, we are listening deeply to what our customers want and need – often long before they ever purchase our products. We have created Panasonic Lifestyle Research Centers in key regions around the world to that end. Second, we are creating lasting relationships with customers that continue long after they purchase our products. This is being achieved through a range of exciting services.

Panasonic’s future is being built on far more than a single product category and its contribution to people’s lives is extending far beyond the living room. We are focusing our business activities on four broad areas in which we impact people’s lives — residential, non-residential, personal and mobility. With people, who unite them, at the center of all our activities, we want to add value to customers’ lives wherever they are. One way to achieve this is by maximizing the tremendous growth potential in the B2B category, through a new business model that goes far beyond selling hardware, and offers Total Solutions that include software and services as well.

In collaboration with our global business customers, we’re enhancing consumer’s lives in areas where people might not think of Panasonic – including automotive, retail, avionics and energy. Today we will be sharing numerous examples of the B2B2C approach in action by inviting our top business customers. We will also show you the important role Panasonic Cloud Services will play in our strategy.

What does “a better world” really mean? Our job is to give our customers the products, solutions and services that will allow them to create the better world they want — whoever and wherever they are. In the next hour, we’ll tell what real Panasonic customers want and need to make their worlds better and how we are responding to them.

1. Your TV

Presented by Messrs. Tsuga and Joe Taylor, CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America, with Mr. Tim Vanderhook, Co-founder and CEO of Specific Media as a special guest speaker and a video appearance from Mr. Keith Turner, President of Sales and Marketing at Univision

The television industry here in the US is experiencing tremendous change. The next five years will transform it more than the last twenty-five. What today’s consumers are desiring in a TV is more than just beautiful picture quality. They are expecting easy access to content, flexible choices, a simple and intuitive user experience. In other words, they don’t want just another screen.

Panasonic’s “Your TV” gives you the ability to personalize and customize, providing you with a great new service while giving you choice and freedom. It’s all you could ever want from your TV and more — broadcast channels, video on demand, smart search and a rich social experience at your fingertips. All you have to do is say “My Home Screen,” and the built-in camera and facial recognition technology bring up your personal page. This new Home Screen is designed to personalize Your TV experience, and give you direct access to both the latest information and all your favorite content.

In addition, in order to provide customers with a new viewing experience and to make the creation of new business models possible, the company is working towards the realization of internet based TV program broadcasting, viewing programs over smart devices, and advertising targeted to the user.

Our concept for Your TV embodies everything that we want you to know about where Panasonic is going: How we are expanding our reach from hardware manufacturer to a total solutions and service provider, how we are working closely with other global leaders, and how these things are allowing us to develop deeper and ongoing relationships with customers that add maximum value to their lives. With these initiatives we are beginning a truly new era at Panasonic. But rest assured, engineering new audio-visual technology that meets customer needs is as important as ever. We will continue to lead the industry in the development of plasma and LCD TVs, and a whole range of innovative new products.

Panasonic has developed a 56-inch 4k2k OLED display, the world’s largest OLED panel produced by the RGB all-printing method. The stunning picture quality with 4k resolution and rich colors that the synergy of 4k and OLED technologies makes possible set this television apart. It weighs just 27 pounds, half the weight of a normal 4k display. The engine driving Panasonic OLED is our printing technology, which gives us the ability to make panels that are larger and more affordable than our competitors.

2. Your Home

Presented by Mr. Taylor

Sustainability has been an essential part of Panasonic’s DNA for a very long time. One measure of how we’re doing is that in 2012 Panasonic was ranked sixth in Interbrand’s Best Global Green Brands, which is four spots up from last year and the highest ranking of any consumer electronics company.

Panasonic is offering energy solutions that are built on integrated solutions to create, store, save and manage energy. When it comes to creating energy, we bring to market innovative products like hydrogen fuel cells, in addition to solar panels. We’re also focusing on storing energy and it’s already gained a lot of traction overseas and we expect it to do the same here in the U.S. Engineering products that save energy has been a top priority at Panasonic for a very long time, including home appliances, audiovisual products, and LED lighting. To manage energy, Panasonic uses the Smart Energy Gateway, or SEG, which can be controlled through a variety of smart devices, both in your home and remotely. It checks power usage conditions throughout the house, and shows you exactly where and how you can save energy. We’re using this same template to serve customers well beyond the home, including stores and whole communities around the world.

In Panasonic’s future, the Cloud is going to play a key role, like energy. The Cloud is essential not only to connect your devices, but also to anticipate and answer your needs — both in the home and beyond. We’re partnering with some of the world’s leading IT companies to make this vision a reality. In fact, Panasonic and IBM have agreed to work together to assess the business and technical value of future home appliances connected to the cloud.

3. Your Car

Presented by Mr. Tsuga, with Mr. Phil Abram, Chief Infotainment Officer of General Motors, as a special guest speaker on stage and video appearance by Mr. Elon Musk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Motors

Our strategy for expanding our business with leading automakers is focused on two key areas. First, we are transforming our expertise in home energy solutions into total solutions for electric vehicles. And second, we are taking the engineering behind our connected home AV solutions and delivering fully connected automotive solutions.

Batteries are only one aspect of Panasonic EV solutions. We have developed a Power Management System that greatly improves the efficiency of EV batteries a Heat Management System designed to reduce the tremendous power drain of air conditioning on hybrid and electric vehicles. These are just two of the new systems we are developing to make these vehicles attractive to more consumers.

Panasonic is able to provide total EV solutions, including batteries, energy and heat, and help extend the mileage of EVs.

Just as an example of our connected car solutions, GM and Panasonic have partnered to create the new MyLink infotainment system. MyLink offers extensive AV, communication and navigation functions that fulfill your needs. You can even add apps through the Internet after the purchase.

4. Your Business

Presented by Mr. Taylor with guest video appearance by photojournalist Mr. Daniel Berehulak

The new Panasonic 4k Tablet features a 20-inch display which is less than one-half inch thick. This new Windows 8-based business tool is incredibly thin, light and portable.

One strong focus of our B2B2C strategy is providing end-to-end solutions for retail that leverage the expertise of all our companies, from Audio Visual to Energy Solutions. For example, in Asia, Panasonic is partnering with a Japanese-based global convenience store chain, Lawson. In 2010, Panasonic helped Lawson to create a prototype “green store” that integrates a wide variety of Panasonic products. The results have been significant, with a 20% reduction in power consumption as compared to 2006. Last year, Panasonic began installing solar panels in 2,000 Lawson’s stores.

For McDonald’s, Panasonic has installed a wide range of products, including POS systems to monitoring and security cameras.

5. Your Journey

Presented by Mr. Tsuga with special guest appearance by Mr. Rob Fyfe, former Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand, Chairman of the Star Alliance and Member of the Board of Governors at IATA, and video appearance by Jim Compton, Vice Chairman of United Airlines

With 275 airline customers in our portfolio and more than 5,000 airplanes around the world fitted with our in-flight entertainment and communications systems, last year more than 500 million passengers experienced journeys enhanced by Panasonic avionics solutions.

In 2013 Panasonic’s next generation systems are taking avionics technology to the next level, including over 900 planes equipped with broadband Internet.

Since 1998 Panasonic has partnered with one of the world’s largest airlines, United Airlines. Panasonic inflight entertainment and communication systems are installed across both wide and narrow-body fleets, including the state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner. In 2013, United will become Panasonic’s largest Global Communications Suite customer, installing this state-of-the-art solution on over 300 aircraft flying routes all over the world.

Panasonic is launching the eXLite system with Air New Zealand in 2014. This system is the lowest power and lightest weight inflight entertainment solution we have ever offered.

Our portfolio of entertainment and information service solutions goes well beyond inflight entertainment services to include those for homes, lounges and hotels. In other words, our solutions fully support your entire journey.

6. Your Community

Presented by Mr. Taylor with special guest appearance by Mr. Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and video appearance by Ms. Abby Wambach and Ms. Alex Morgan, members of the U.S. women’s soccer team for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Panasonic is providing integrated solutions to enhance communities of all kinds, from informational kiosks and digital signage at leading universities to energy solutions that are making auto racing more sustainable. As the Official Worldwide AV Sponsor for the Olympic Games, Panasonic’s end-to-end broadcast solutions have made it possible for audiences around the world to share the passion of the Olympic Games for 25 years. Panasonic has also sponsored US Major League Soccer—a relationship that includes a whole range of integrated solutions in MLS stadiums around the country. In Japan, Panasonic supplied the LED lighting solutions for the TOKYO SKYTREE, and is building the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town in Fujisawa City, which opens next year and will be home to thousands of people.

This summer, we’re moving Panasonic’s U.S. headquarters from Secaucus to a brand new facility in Newark, New Jersey. The new facility will help us to reduce our own carbon footprint by 50% in total, with our environmental technologies and the use of mass transit. The Panasonic space in the building will be LEED Platinum Certified, the highest standard for environmental design. Panasonic plans to build an Ideas Center in Newark where the community can learn and be inspired by the newest Panasonic technology.

Closing Remarks by Mr. Tsuga

As we’ve shown over the last hour, there are as many visions of a “better world” as there are people on our planet. I sincerely hope that you get a sense of our commitment to make the world better with you.

Some of what we’ve shared today may seem unexpected and perhaps different than the Panasonic you have known in the past. But, if we are to achieve our goals, the imperative to transform and innovate has never been greater. However, the core values that drive us at Panasonic are not new at all. They have actually been part of our company’s DNA since it was founded by Konosuke Matsushita nearly 100 years ago — to place people before products, contribute to our society, enhance and add value to the lives of customers, and to offer eco and smart solutions that make what matters most better. This is who we are and who we have always been. When all is said and done, it is just another way we are engineering a better world for you.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products in three business fields, consumer, components & devices, and solutions. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.85 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2012. Panasonic’s stock is listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:PC) Stock Exchanges. The company has the vision of becoming the No. 1 Green Innovation Company in the Electronics Industry by the 100th year of its founding in 2018. For more information on Panasonic, its brand and commitment to sustainability, visit the company’s website at http://panasonic.net/.