Latest news with #MeganMyungwonLee
Japan Times
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Panasonic aims for full output at Kansas battery plant this year
Panasonic's newest battery plant in the U.S. is on track to reach full production by later this year, a senior executive said, easing concern about the Japanese electronics maker's commitment to supplying Tesla and other electric vehicle makers. "We're going to be full production this year,' Megan Myungwon Lee, the company's head of North American operations, said in an interview on Monday. Her comments come after Japan's Nikkei reported last week that Panasonic planned to delay bringing production at the Kansas facility up to full capacity. "When we commit to something, we're fully committed and we want to make sure we support all the customers,' she said. "We're not feeling the slowdown yet and we're very bullish.' Tesla, Panasonic's biggest battery cell customer in the U.S., reported a 13% drop in U.S. sales for the second quarter compared with a year ago as demand for its EVs weakened. The new factory will ship battery cells to Tesla as well as several other EV makers, including Lucid and Hexagon Purus. "We're definitely working with Tesla but we want to work with other established OEMs as well as startups,' Lee said, adding that Panasonic's partnership with Tesla is "very strong.' Lee spoke at a ceremony commemorating the grand opening of Panasonic's second battery factory in the U.S., located in De Soto, Kansas, near Kansas City. While the facility is online and battery cells are being made, construction is still ongoing. At completion, the plant will have about 32 gigawatt-hours of annual capacity — enough to supply cells for 500,000 EVs. The company also operates a battery manufacturing factory in Nevada, which has supplied Tesla since 2017. The current annual capacity of that facility is about 41 GWh and Panasonic said in a statement that the Kansas plant will bring its total U.S.-based output capacity to around 73 GWh "once fully operational.'
Bloomberg
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Panasonic Opens Kansas EV Battery Plant
Panasonic NA CEO Megan Myungwon Lee discusses why the company is expanding its electric vehicle battery production in the US. She joins Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow from the newly unveiled De Soto, Kansas plant. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Panasonic Aims for Full Output at Kansas Battery Plant in 2025
Panasonic Holdings Corp. 's newest battery plant in the US is on track to reach full production by later this year, a senior executive said, easing concern about the Japanese electronics maker's commitment to supplying Tesla Inc. and other electric vehicle makers. 'We're going to be full production this year,' Megan Myungwon Lee, the company's head of North American operations, said in a Bloomberg TV interview on Monday.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Panasonic's Megan Myungwon Lee wants half her EV battery supply chain inside North America by 2030
In today's CEO Daily: Diane Brady talks to Panasonic North America CEO Megan Myungwon Lee. The big story: New tariffs on the EU and Mexico. The markets: Cooling off from all-time highs. Analyst notes from Wedbush on AI usage and equities, and Goldman Sachs on home price appreciation. Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune. Good Morning. Panasonic will open its $4 billion EV battery plant in De Soto, Kansas, today. It's a green shoot of optimism in a market that's otherwise cooled amid tariffs and major policy shifts—the most recent of which is the end of a $7,500 EV tax credit, thanks to the 'big, beautiful bill' now signed into law. (Ford was able to retain its federal tax credits at the last minute. Meanwhile, Honda recently postponed its EV investment in Canada, and demand at Tesla's largest EV plant is down.) I spoke with Panasonic North America CEO Megan Myungwon Lee about today's news and what's next in a murky environment for clean energy. 'This is a big, long-term commitment that started four years ago,' she said. 'Every CEO's job is to navigate and make decisions in very ambiguous and uncertain times.' Lee prefers to focus on the positive. 'I am not saying it's easy,' she told me. 'But the current administration and previous administration believe in bringing technology into the market and creating manufacturing jobs, and that's what we do.' While the new policy environment might delay the timeline for ramping up to full production, about 1,100 of the 4,000 anticipated employees have been hired. And Lee anticipates sticking with that plan despite AI, tough market conditions, and the Japanese company's recently announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs globally, about 4% of its workforce. 'Our manufacturing process is already highly automated and, for the volume we produce, we will still need, at this point, a few thousand employees to run the factory in Kansas.' And she's addressing the challenges that everyone in the industry now faces: 'Especially in the battery business, the supply chain is global; there are raw materials that we just cannot get locally,' she added. But Panasonic transformed its supply chain during COVID and 'our goal is to have at least 50% of our supply chain done within this region by 2030.' 'It's a wonderful beginning and definitely a celebration, but we have to make sure that the business is successful and there's a healthy return.' More news CEO Daily via Diane Brady at This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Panasonic Earns 2025 Great Place to Work Certification™ for Fourth Consecutive Year
NEWARK, N.J., April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Corporation of North America today announced it has received a Great Place to Work® Certification for the fourth consecutive year, in recognition of the company culture and employee workplace experience. This year, 83% of employees said it's a great place to work—that's 26 points higher than the average U.S. company. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. "Our culture thrives on collective wisdom—it's where trust takes root, ideas flourish, and innovation comes to life," said Megan Myungwon Lee, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America. "Being recognized by Great Place to Work for four years in a row affirms the strength of our culture and the consistency of our employee experience. If we are asking our people to show up fully every day, then as an employer, we must do the same." Panasonic employees surveyed by Great Place to Work continue to report a strong sense of inclusion, engagement, and community. Overall, employees reported feeling that Panasonic is a physically safe place to work (96%), that you are made to feel welcome when you join the company (90%), and that people across all backgrounds and identities are treated fairly. This includes strong perceptions of fairness across sexual orientation (94%), race (92%), and gender (91%)—reflecting our broader commitment to inclusion and respect. "Being recognized by Great Place to Work for the fourth consecutive year reinforces what our employees continue to tell us—we are creating a workplace where people feel safe, seen, and supported," said Liz Almeida, Chief Human Resources Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America. "These results show that our commitment to inclusion, fairness, and belonging isn't just a statement—it's part of our culture. We're proud that so many of our people feel they can be themselves at work and are welcomed from day one." "Great Place to Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. "By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that Panasonic stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees." According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company's profits and have a fair chance at promotion. WE'RE HIRING!Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: About Great Place to Work Certification™Great Place to Work® Certification™ is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified. About Great Place to Work®As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place to Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place to Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ list. Learn more at and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. About Panasonic Corporation of North America Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading provider of Consumer Lifestyle technologies, as well as innovative Smart Mobility, Sustainable Energy, Immersive Experiences, and Integrated Supply Chain solutions for its business and government clients. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation. One of Interbrand's Top 100 Best Global Brands of 2024, Panasonic is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at Connect with Panasonic North America:LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America Sign in to access your portfolio
