Following the success of the L-Class series in India, Panasonic has launched I-Class series kitchens. The new range will be available in 23 cities through the company’s 25 retail stores. Modular kitchens are being offered in India by Panasonic Housing Solutions Co Ltd, which focuses on the housing materials and construction segments. The company is part of the electronics and electricals major Panasonic Life Solutions India Pvt Ltd.
The new I-Class range is aimed at homeowners looking to customise their kitchens using a combination of Japanese technology and Indian production and has been positioned in the affordable luxury segment.
India is the most important region for Panasonic’s global business outside of its home country Japan, says YoshiyukiKitazaki, assistant director of the kitchen furniture, bathroom & sanitary fittings business division at Panasonic. “With the addition of the I-Class kitchen, we will strengthen our marketing activities in India. We aim to further expand our India business and establish the Panasonic brand in the residential equipment segment. Going forward, our company will contribute to the realisation of a more comfortable and secure society by helping create comfortable living spaces.”
Kitazaki informs that the I-Class Kitchen range is a combination of best-in-class materials sourced from India and the latest technology from Japan. “Our new range boasts of an array of highly customisable features including 100 per cent smart storage to provide maximum space utility for Indian households. The countertops are reinforced by a crosspiece, which offers solid durability and resilience. The cabinet is made of plywood and comes with functional features such as SS matt and rubber strips that provide a soft down and storage shifting facility. The I-Class range offers cabinet doors in hundreds of colours and patterns in varied materials and finishes. We also promise a 10-year replacement guarantee on the new range.”
Speaking about insights gained since the launch of Panasonic kitchens in India, Panasonic Life Solutions managing director Dinesh Aggarwal says, “India is witnessing a paradigm shift in user expectation when it comes to design and utility of kitchen spaces. We received a very positive response to the luxurious Panasonic L-class kitchens that were launched in India in 2018. The I-Class range now being introduced combines the functional superiority of the L class, and our learnings about the site challenges of civil construction, specific storage needs in kitchens across different regions of our country, and ergonomics. With the introduction of the I-Class series, we will cater to various economic strata, with each series of our kitchens having superior and unique functionality and very contemporary finishes.”
In an interaction with Sourcing Hardware in June 2021, Panasonic India’s housing division GM Rahul Thakkar explained why the company’s kitchen franchise was a winning proposition for channel partners. He also spoke about the timeframe and regions in which the company would add new channel partners.
