Panasonic Aims to Sell More TVs with Viera

There were two events i attended yesterday (2nd April), namely launching of Panasonic Viera plasma TV and MWg PDA. This is one of the events, which the news i abstracted from The Star - Starbiz (page B6, Thurs, 3 April).

From left: Tony Endoh, Panasonic AVC Japan group manager of visual display business group Ken Shimizu, Panasonic AVC Japan group manager of AVC product Mark Kobayashi and Panasonic Malaysia Sdn Bhd assistant general manager of digital audio visual products Liew Choon Wah at the Viera TV models launch.

PETALING JAYA: Panasonic Malaysia Sdn Bhd has launched 11 new models of Viera plasma and LCD televisions and is targeting to sell more than 40,000 large-screen TV sets by year-end.

Managing director Tony Endoh said the demand for flat-panel TVs was rising fast, while those measuring 37 inches and above would make up more than 50% of total current TV sales.

“We target 30% domestic market share in this category (37-inch or more flat-panel TVs),” he told reporters after the launch of the Viera models yesterday.

The new models included the TH-42PV8H and TH-42PV80H, priced at RM4,899 and RM5,199 respectively, while LCD model TX-37LX80MK was tagged at RM3,999. The prices of other models will be released later.

Endoh said its TV sales division, which sold 30,000 units, contributed 8% to the group’s revenue for the financial year ended March 31, 2008 (FY08).

The division accounted for 35% of the group’s audio-visual division turnover, he added.

On the outlook for the electrical and electronic market, he said price competition would pose a challenge this year when more products were introduced to the market.

However, the market was still positive despite the current global slowdown as well as the escalating oil prices and current political situation, he added.

According to Endoh, the demand for TVs in FY08 totalled 168,000 units. Currently, Panasonic’s local market share for plasma and LCD TV is about 46.8% and 20% respectively.

Panasonic would invest RM54mil in advertising and RM170mil for promotion in FY09, he said, adding that RM10mil would be spent to promote Viera TV.

Meanwhile, the group, which recorded turnover of RM1.46bil in FY08, was targeting sales of RM1.55bil in FY09, he said.

Panasonic has about 700 outlets in Malaysia.