Panasonic to transfer some plasma display facilities to China

Dow Jones International News, Juro Osawa, 20 August 2010,TOKYO - Panasonic will transfer some of its plasma display production capacity in Amagasaki, Japan, to Shanghai, to boost cost-competitiveness by producing locally for China's fast-growing flat-panel TV market.  The company plans to replace the existing Shanghai facility with a new one on a nearby site.  As a result of the transfer, the new facility, which is scheduled to start operating in April 2012, will have the capacity to produce 120,000 42-inch panels a month, a fivefold jump from the current 25,000 panels.  Panasonic expects the transfer will help cut costs by 20% to 30% (Also reported by Reuters, Bloomberg, AFP, WSJ among others).