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Panasonic do Brasil foresees a gradual growth of the hired workforce in the city of around 20% throughout the development of the project
With R$300 million, Panasonic do Brasil, the Brazilian subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Panasonic Corporation, still has many plans for Minas Gerais materializing through this significant investment. This is the largest contribution that the corporation has made in the last decade and its objective is to factory expansion Extrema white line, in the south of the state. The project's goals include increasing productivity, introducing new products and doubling the company's capacity to manufacture refrigerators and washing machines.
The Extrema plant expansion project started in February last year and is scheduled to end in April. Production space will double from 60.000 square meters to 80.000 square meters, and the expanded facility will begin operating at full capacity in August. More bathrooms and a larger storage area are among the unit's structural upgrades.
Panasonic looks forward to expansion of its projects
The corporation foresees a gradual growth of the workforce hired in the city of around 20% throughout the development of the project. Currently, there are around 1.200 people working in the industry in Extrema. With manufacturing units in Manaus (AM) and São José dos Campos (SP) and an administrative and commercial office in the state of São Paulo, the company employs more than 2.000 people throughout Brazil.
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Sergey Epof, Vice President of Appliance at Panasonic do Brasil, provided the details. He claims that the popularity of Extrema's product in Brazil was an important factor in convincing investors to support the company. As “we brought products that were different from those on the market”, he says, “we were able to meet consumer needs”.
When compared to the basic requirements of the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology, Epof products, such as refrigerators, are quieter, have better food conservation technology and consume less energy (Inmetro). In the same vein, it introduced classes of washing machines with lower water and energy consumption and greater washing efficiency.
Panasonic ESG Policies
According to Epof, the Minas Gerais unit is the “green factory” of the corporation due to several environmentally conscious practices, such as the collection and reuse of rainwater. In January 2024, it will be able to supply 60% of the Extrema plant with solar energy, thanks to a project that has just been completed together with another company.
Like the other two Brazilian plants, the one in the south of Minas does not emit carbon and helps the company meet its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) goals. Namely: “Panasonic values social responsibility. According to him, “it's all about ESG” when it comes to working on issues like product efficiency and manufacturing efficiency.
The Japanese headquarters established goals and procedures to achieve carbon neutrality in a document entitled “Green Impact”. The target is to have no net CO2 emissions from operating companies by 2030 and to reduce emissions by more than 300 million tonnes by 2050, which is equivalent to around 1% of current world emissions. Epof emphasizes: “It is a very courageous challenge that the corporation faces, and the units in Brazil are already a few steps ahead of it”.
