Panasonic Corporation has commenced operations at a newly constructed building within its Czech factory operated by Panasonic Heating & Ventilation Air-Conditioning Czech, s.r.o. (PHVACCZ), a subsidiary of the Heating & Ventilation A/C Company. The site manufactures air-to-water heat pumps and aims to meet rising demand driven by the shift toward decarbonization in Europe.
Originally established in 1996 for television manufacturing, the Czech factory began producing air-to-water heat pumps in 2018. After initially focusing on indoor units, it added production of outdoor units using R290 natural refrigerant in 2023, becoming the first Japanese manufacturer to do so. In 2024, the site further expanded its capabilities by setting up an R&D department to support the European market.
The newly completed building increases total factory floor space to 140,000 m², with 102,000 m² in the new section. It enables the expansion of production lines and integration of automation technologies, including the deployment of 80 robots. Panasonic plans to raise annual production capacity from 150,000 to approximately 700,000 units, exceeding original estimates by about 20%.
By 2028, the company targets fully unmanned operations in component processes and aims to double assembly line automation. It also plans to in-source production of key components—such as outdoor unit casings, air heat exchangers, copper piping, and PCBs—achieving a 70% in-house rate for core parts.
As part of its carbon neutrality goals for 2050, the factory is working toward eliminating CO2 emissions by the end of 2025. Measures include the installation of a 1 MW solar system and use of skylights to maximize natural lighting in the new building.
Panasonic stated it will continue to promote environmentally conscious product development and manufacturing practices.
