Corporate History

The comany began printing English catalog for its products in 1931, and in April 1932, Konosuke Matsushita set up an export department to research and develop the company's international sales potential. This represented a significant innovation in an industry where exports were traditionally left to large trading houses and foreign trading concerns. With a unified policy for domestic and export markets, the company could now actively expand its export business.
Exports grew, and in August 1935, Matsushita set up Matsushita Electric Trading Co.(MET) - a unique move for an electrical manufacturer. MET's efforts bore fruit as Panasonic products were exported throughout Southeast Asia.
In March 1938, MET set up an import department that brought in raw materials needed for electrical goods production, supplying Panasonic and other electrical manufacturers.