Panasonic Corporation, an electronics company based in Japan, is one of the world’s largest manufacturing corporations. It consists of many separate manufacturing units that develop, produce, and market such diverse products as sound systems and televisions, household appliances, batteries, computers and computer components, telecommunications equipment, heavy industrial equipment, and heating and cooling machinery. Although its official name was Matsushita Electric, for many years it was called Panasonic, the brand name of one of its products. The company formally changed its name to Panasonic in 2008. Panasonic is well known for its consumer electronics products, which are sold under such trade names as JVC, National, Quasar, and Technics.
Konosuke Matsushita, a Japanese businessman and inventor, founded the company in 1918. Over the years, Panasonic established or acquired companies that produced a wide range of products.
Panasonic has headquarters in Osaka, Japan. The corporation has facilities in about 45 countries.
