Panasonic to move factories to Vietnam, 800 jobs to go in Thailand next year

Panasonic Corp said on Thursday it would sell its loss-making semiconductor unit to Taiwan’s Nuvoton Technology Corp, as the Japanese electronics giant struggles to boost profits amid a lack of growth drivers. Photo: middleeastaffairs.net. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

TOKYO, May 21, 2020, Reuters. Japanese appliance-maker Panasonic Corp said on Thursday that next year it will move its Thai-based production of refrigerators and washing machines to Vietnam, laying off about 800 workers, Bangkok Post reported.

“Panasonic will reorganise its white goods production sites in Southeast Asia, and transfer the production of washing machines and refrigerators in Thailand to Vietnam,” the company said in an statement emailed to Reuters.

Panasonic will dismiss about 800 workers in Thailand, a company spokeswoman told Reuters, adding that the move is part of its plan to improve cost efficiency.

Panasonic would try to place some of the workers in other jobs based on their qualifications, the spokeswoman said.

Panasonic Appliances (Thailand) and a research and development centre will close by the end of March 2021.

After the closures, Panasonic will still have around 13,700 workers involved in the manufacture of small appliances and batteries in Thailand.

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