Panasonic eyes 10% share of CFL mart in RP

MANILA, Philippines - Japan’s Panasonic Inc., through its local partner Starbright Sales Enterprises Inc., is eyeing a 10 percent share of compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) sales in the local lighting market.

Naoki Doi, Panasonic general manager for marketing and sales group, told  reporters during the launch of the company’s CFL brand in the Philippines, that they would try to capture an initial 10 percent of the CFL market at least for the next three years.

Doi said they have decided to tap the Philippine market for their CFLs as they have already found a suitable local partner. Panasonic has been manufacturing fluorescent lamps for more than three decades. At present, it sells CFLs in China and Europe.

“We would like to provide the Philippine consumers better quality lighting products,” Doi said.

Starbright president Clarence Cu, for his part, said they are confident their partnership with Panasonic will not only provide consumers a choice of better quality products but will create greater awareness on the importance of utilizing more environment-friendly products.

Starbright, which has been one of the country’s biggest dealers of lighting fixtures for more than 37 years, will market the Panasonic CFLs by tapping large and small customers.

Cu said initially, they will price their products at par with the existing CFL products being marketed by Philips and General Electric.

All the Panasonic CFLs will be imported by Starbright from Japan which will ensure that all the products that would be released in the Philippine market are of high quality.

In conjunction with the launch, Panasonic Philippines and Starbright carried out their first corporate social responsibility program and gave out discounted CFLs in 294 homes in St. Hannibal Community Association in Malibay, Pasay City.

‘This is our way of helping promote energy efficiency among households. That is why we are also offering the homeowners additional Panasonic CFLs for purchase at socialized rates. That means 20-25 percent less than the standard retail price,” Cu said.

Aside from this initiative, Cu said they would be exploring ways to help the government promote best quality CFLs.