Panasonic Corp will release upright washing and drying machines that feature enhanced water-saving properties and reduced power consumption in China and other Asian countries.
The company will develop and manufacture products equipped with the "eco wash system," which uses water- and power-saving technologies and was employed for a washing and drying machine to be released in Japan in April 2009. And they will be launched in China and Southeast Asian countries including Thailand and Indonesia from the summer of 2009.
The washing and drying machines due out in summer 2009 are "high and slightly higher" class products and more expensive than widely-used products, according to Panasonic. But the company plans to release products featuring water- and power-saving functions in a moderate price range in the future.
This is the first time that Panasonic will launch water- and power-saving washing machines in a popular price range in an overseas market.
More than 60% of Panasonic washing machines are sold outside Japan, especially in China and Southeast Asian countries, according to the company. The company plans to expand its business by offering environmentally-friendly products, which are not actively developed by local manufacturers, at the price range of widely-used products and by responding to demands for water-saving functions, which have been rapidly growing in recent years.
The company expects growth of more than 5% in the global market and "aims to attain double-digit growth," according to Ichiro Kikuchi, chief of the Laundry Systems Business Unit, Home Appliances Company, Panasonic Corp.
The eco wash system, which saves water and power, was developed for upright washing machines. The system employs a water circulation system leveraging the rotation of a washing tub and a technology to control the stirring stream, which were developed to achieve high washing performance with small amount of water, as well as the inverter control and a motor integrated with a deceleration mechanism for reducing power consumption.
In China, Panasonic will launch an inverter-controlled upright washing and drying machine with a washing capacity of 8kg and a drying capacity of 4.5kg. The company aims to acquire the grade 1 of the Chinese energy-saving label for this product.
The product will incorporate functions designed exclusively for China, including the defoaming sequence intended for Chinese detergents, which generally have a high foaming property. The price is expected to be about Rmb5,000 (approx US$732), and the product will fall into the high-end category because washing machines generally used in China are priced less than Rmb2,000.
For Southeast Asian markets, Panasonic will launch inverter-controlled upright washing machines with washing capacities of 8kg and 9kg. They will have new features such as a base plate to prevent mice from entering a washing machine. The price is expected to be around 18,000 baht (approx US$508), which is slightly higher than the prices of washing machines widely used in Thailand (6,000 to 15,000 baht).
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