Panasonic: Energy supply limitations will affect production (and probably delay the new product release)
Image on top: The Panasonic Fukushima plant
In an official press release Panasonic announced that Fukushima factory activity have been stopped. There is a lack of electricity, gas and water that forces them to shut down the production (Source: DC-watch).
Panasonic said that: “A few employees working at the Fukushima factory, the Sendai factory of AVC Networks Company and at the Koriyama factory of Panasonic Electronic Works received minor injury. Some part of the ceiling and wall were damaged, but there has been no fire or collapse. As regards the impact on our business operations we are in the process of investigation.” (Source: AP).
I guess this will cause supply problems with current cameras (they are made in Fukushima). Also the future new product release could suffer from some changes and delays. Reminder: The Panasonic G3 should have been announced between late March and late April.
P.S.: I didn’t hear anything about Olympus (don’t recall them to have their factories in the affected regions).
Via DC.watch.Impress
Robbie
3 years ago |Bad news indeed but Japan has been hit so hard.
Hope everything will be well soon
Miklos Rabi
3 years ago |Forgive me being blunt, but I don’t think they can have more supply chain issues than they had before the quake.
Deirdre Saoirse Moen
3 years ago |Glad to hear there were no major injuries, and I’m also glad to hear that the buildings were better off than many near Sendai. Thoughts and prayers to the workers and their families. I love my GF1, thank you for making it!
ulli
3 years ago |well there are other priorities now right?
jonas
3 years ago |olympus seems to mainly have suffered hits on their production of medical equipment. but surely they’re production has been affected aswell with the electricity etc being cut.
my wishes to everyone lost and affected by this horrible event.
sderdiarian
3 years ago |Yes , there are certainly other priorities right now and I’m glad to hear their employees and building came out relatively unscathed. It’s looking like a long haul before things return to any sense of normalcy given the energy and massive reconstruction issues, never mind the aftershocks which at any other time would be considered major quakes themselves.
I am surprised at the small size and apparent age of the facility in the photo, looks like a building in one of our R&D parks circa 40 years ago based on materials, design, signs of age (streaked wall, overgrown shrubs, etc.). Admin, can you confirm this is in fact where they assemble their mFT cameras? Seems odd given the size of Panasonic as a company.
Miroslav
3 years ago |Bad news, but let the people of Japan put lives in order first and we’ll hang onto whichever camera we currently use.
Archer Sully
3 years ago |There are more important things than cameras right now. My best wishes and hopes to all of our friends in Japan.
Kikko
3 years ago |Tell all your friends, family and coworkers everywhere around the world to buy as many Japanese products as possible, everything from cars to electronics to food to clothing. Buy it all up, so that money goes back to Japan to help keep its economy flush with cash for when the country gets back to normalcy. Don’t give too much money to the charity organizations, that money will get chopped up and dispersed to areas around the globe where the organizations need help, and not enough of it will go to Japan itself. By buying all Japanese products everywhere, not only will you be supporting the Japanese economy for the future, you will, in the short-term, be helping your own ailing local economy from the USA to Europe. It’s a win-win situation as far as that is concerned.
Buy as many Japanese products as you can, with purpose!!
Jules
3 years ago |My best wishes to Japan (and all of us for that matter) that they secure their nuclear plants first.
As a matter of fact, my best wishes to Japan. This whole mess is ugly
Then we will get back to ranting between Panasonic vs Olympus or m43 vs Sony or any other childish play. My lens is bigger than yours.
cL
3 years ago |+1
gena
3 years ago |Most of the Panasonic photo production is in Japan and Olympus sent most of its production to China (even flagship cameras like E3, not sure about E5) are maid in China.