Panasonic to increase IT Market Share : By - Chander Kohli Chief Operating Officer, Panasonic Asia Pacific (India Branch Office)

 Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. is getting aggressive to capture a sizable market in the IT vertical. To execute the same, the company plans”to launch new models in AIO and Copier Category and also enhance its current range of ITS and cordless phones. In addition, it intends to focus more on its rugged notebooks (Toughbooks) and CCTV systems.

The company recently announced the launch and availability of its new revolutionary laser all-in-ones. The new models available include the 7-in-1 KX-FLB882CX, the 5-in-1 KX-MB772CX and the 3-in-1 KX-MB262CX. Panasonic’s MB-series is its first in the printer category. With the basic model Print, Scan, Copy in this category – KX-MB262 –, it aims to capture a sizable market in the IT vertical.  These new laser all-in-ones are in high demand, especially amidst small-to-medium corporate, educational institutes, public sector undertakings (PSUs), etc., who do not want to own four different machines (printer, copier, scanner and fax) for four different functions.

Kenji Anai, General Manager, Panasonic Communications Company, said, “Following the successful launch of laser All-in-One last year, we are now introducing an entirely new range – the MB series – to further enhance our product line-up. In fact, we are offering triple-packed toner as well which brings down the cost-per-page substantially, making our all-in-ones highly cost efficient as compared to those from the competition. It is our constant endeavour to help the end-users save more.”  

According to Chander Kohli, Chief Operating Officer, Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (India Branch Office), “As per reliable sources of estimates, Panasonic’s market share in the A4 laser multifunction printers segment (based on the total number of shipments) is about seven per cent. This clearly places us amidst the top three vendors in this market segment. Considering the fact that we are relatively new in terms of entering the market, this is certainly remarkable.”

Panasonic’s new high-end model – the KX-FLB882 – has seven functions rolled into one single unit–– print, copy, fax, PC-fax, flatbed colour scan, network ready and handset (optional)–– making it the right choice for heavy users like corporate. It features a printing speed of 21 pages per minute, while the KX-MB772CX and KX-MB262CX models can print 18 pages per minute.

All the models churn out high quality reproduction at 600 dpi x 600 dpi resolution in every document that user wishes to print or copy. KX-MB772 and KX-FLB882 come with an Automatic Document Feeder and a built-in flatbed that allows users to scan, copy, or fax a variety of originals in different shapes or sizes such as magazines, newspapers, business cards, etc. The N-in-1 enhanced copy feature allows them to copy up to 8 original pages into a single page, thus saving paper and cost. The KX-MB262 model is an entry-level 3-in-1 – a “Must-Have” for all SOHOs, for it performs almost all the crucial functions – print, copy and colour scan.  

The new MB-series from Panasonic even allows users to scan documents in both colour and black & white at a high resolution of 600 dpi x 1200 dpi (optical) and 9600 dpi x 9600 dpi (interpolation). What is more, the KX-MB772 comes built in with Super G3 fax that is designed for fast, efficient fax transmission. When the Multi-Function Station launcher software is installed in the PC, users can easily access a variety of image processing functions from the graphical menu. The feature-rich ReadIris OCR (optical character recognition) software comes bundled with Panasonic MB-series.

Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. is into Fax Machines, All-in-Ones, KTS, Copiers, Whiteboards, Telephones, IP Cameras, CCTV Systems, Projectors, and Plasmas & Rugged Notebooks. In India, Panasonic Sales & Services India Pvt. Ltd. is responsible for the sales and marketing of mass consumer products. In addition, the Panasonic family extends to six other entities, each specializing in products that cater to the Indian customers and marketplace. The company has five branches across India and plans to expand its channel base. As Kohli said, “We have various product lines and depending upon the nature of the product, we have a network of business partners located all across India. Channel expansion is a continuous process and we are always on the lookout for capable business partners for mutual benefit. We would like to expand our reach to the next layer of emerging cities. We shall expand the channel and ensure availability and visibility of products in these cities.”

This year, the vendor will be targeting Defence, Law & Order, Telecom and Oil & gas companies to increase its business. Also, large manufacturing facilities, Retail Chains, hospitals, etc. will be targeted. It faces a major challenge in terms of giving a cost- effective solution to the customer and to adapt to the changing needs and preferences of the customer. On its USP, Kohli informed, “Worldwide Panasonic turnover is around 80 billion US dollars. We make quality, reliable and innovative products that help to improve quality of life and this spirit is reflected in our corporate logo “PANASONIC  - IDEAS FOR LIFE”. We run each product line as a separate independent business with its own specific channel and manpower. In this way, the focus is not lost and we can match the market dynamics. We are satisfied with the performance of all our product categories as they have met our internal benchmarks.”

The company is targeting growth of about 20–25 per cent next year. Concludes Kohli, “Panasonic’s strength is based on four pillars – our customers, our business partners, our people and our products.  We would like to thank our customers and business partners for their continuous support.”