Image Credit: D-Day Landing Museum

Panasonic has gone through with a successful sale of 80% of its projector business to ORIX Corporation, following its decision to put the business up for sale earlier this year. Working in tandem with ORIX, Panasonic Holdings Corporation also opted to create a new company to continue the projection business. With the new company being established on April 1, 2025, Panasonic and ORIX hope to deliver on Panasonic's longstanding success product success while backing it with significant capital on ORIX's side.

Panasonic has had a long legacy within the projector business, citing its first cathode ray tube projector arriving to the electronics market in 1976. For many years, it's been one of the few suppliers for high-grade projection technology, matched only by industry giants like Sony. The decision to step away from projectors is largely business growth-driven, as Panasonic seeks to raise capital to focus on the acquisition of additional supply chain businesses. In 2021, Panasonic acquired supply chain company Blue Yonder for $7.1 billion, representing a significant strategic pivot for the group.

Panasonic projectors power the world's largest permanent projection mapping display at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. Credit: Panasonic

Some companies, including Panasonic itself, are calling out the increasing importance of software as a part of a company's strategic portfolio, despite concerns around their ability to manage such a significant business pivot. While Panasonic has been a strong name in electronic hardware for a long time, it has historically been weaker in its software portfolio. Citing competition from massive technology companies like Apple and Amazon, Panasonic has found success and stability in the reliability of Blue Yonder's revenue, even as its margins contract.

Like many major technology conglomerates, Panasonic has a sprawling network of stakes in a wide variety of business sectors. Shifting strategic goals based on key aspects such as business growth and (forgive the pun) projected revenue is a regular occurrence. However, concern can be argued for as private equity enters the picture, especially as product quality remains a big concern within the audiovisual industry.