TOKYO-Matsushita Communication Industrial announced a new company in the Czech Republic to manufacture mobile phones and car audio equipment. The company will begin production in October 2001.
Matsushita, which markets mobile phones under the Panasonic brand name, said the production capacity of the new company will be 2.4 million units in the first year. The initial investment will be US$79 million, and the factory will employ about 550 people.
Matsushita also has mobile-phone factories in Japan, the Philippines, China and the United Kingdom.
