Panasonic ending vacuum manufacturing?

VacuumLand – Vintage & Modern Vacuum Enthusiasts

Help Support VacuumLand:

This is one of my favorites

My Uncle's MC-V6255 he's had since 1995 he bought from my old vacuum store that had sold and has been a dealer of Panasonic for over 30 years until he retired a few years ago. He bought this to replace the old beat up brown Jet Flo (I can't remember what model) he's had since 1992 from his first marriage that was given by her parents at the time. Overall a really fun rare and ridiculously powerful Panasonic. I think it's by far the best Panasonic I have ever used out of all the other Panasonic I have seen and used when I was growing up.

panasonicvac-2016060509532508823_1.jpg
 
Let's not lose our heads people.

 


 


This is more a technicality than anything.  


 


If Kmart sells Kenmore's rights to someone else, I'm sure the new owner will still sell Kenmore at Sears and Kmart.... and probably other places in the future.  Same with Craftsman.


 


It would be fitting if Whirlpool bought the Kenmore name.  Then they could add it to the stack of other names they stick on their appliances-  Kitchenaid, Estate, Admiral, Roper, ..... 


 


 


 

delaneymeegan++6-5-2016-11-34-19.jpg.png
 
If indeed Kmart/Sears survives, and they decide to keep the store brand Kenmore, and they decide to continue to sell high end deluxe bagged Kenmore vacuums as before, they will need to look for a new American supplier and manufacturer who will work with their Sears product development team as Panasonic has done for over 2 decades. To me, the logical replacement would be Tacony since so much of their product line matches the bagged Kenmore line (bag-first uprights and power nozzle canisters). We might even see Centec power nozzles retained and combined with Tacony canisters. Who knows?
 
Wow..

Definitely wasn't ready to hear that news. I've had a few family members that each had panasonics that seemed to hold up well and were pretty good machines. It'll be a significant loss to the vac world for sure. Sad to see them discontinue what was once a really good piece of their business...
 
Kenmore

The three Sears brands with some value (Kenmore, Craftsman, & Diehard) are ac<span style="font-size: 12pt;">tually owned by KCD, IP. LLC, a subsidiary of Sears holdings. </span>


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This was setup back in 2006, and is a bankruptcy remote entity.</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Vacuums with the Kenmore name may just disappear like the Kenmore sewing machines.</span>


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Remember, they are bleeding money like crazy.</span>


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">--------------</span>


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Look at your choice of canister vacs in some stores now.  A sad state of affairs.</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is a quick look at a few stores:</span>


 


canister vacs


Walmart - Bissell


 


Best Buy-


Atrix, Dyson, Electrolux, Fuller Brush, Hoover, Koblenz, MetroVac, Panasonic, Shark, Sirena


 


Target-


Bissell, Dyson, Metro, Panasonic, ReadiVac


 
 
My other favorite would be

My MC-V7387. We had one of those before at our first cabin we bought in 1995 and we remodeled it in 96. The vacuum we bought before the MC-V7387 was one just like this but it was green and I don't know what the model it was, my dad thought it was a Sharp and my mother thought it was a Panasonic. But anyway one day that vacuum was sparking and blew up the vacuum which was overall not the vacuum's fault, it was an outlet that got wired in wrong after the remodel and there was no way it could've been fixed because it was melted on the inside so the electrical guy ended up buying us another vacuum so it was this one. Overall this is my favorite childhood machine of all time, it was such a fun and cool vacuum to use whenever we would go up to the cabin. It's also a really powerful machine with it's steel handle, bottom plate, brushroll with replaceable brishstrips, awesome suction and airflow with it's triforce twin fan motor which I can say it overall ties the performance with the Riccar 8 series or Simplicity 7 series twin fan motor, and my favorite overall was the cord rewinder on this. We sold the cabin along with the vacuum in 2003 because we got a central vacuum later at our second cabin we bought a few years later and ever since then I have been trying to find one of these again and I finally got it for Christmas in 2010 that came like it had been manufactured refurbished. Hardly ever used this at all because I like to keep this in it's excellent shape as possible.

panasonicvac-2016060521301307379_1.jpg
 
If Sears is bleeding money, I wonder if their sales of vacuums is also so low that it is not a financially healthy department. Something tells me that compared to other departments, floor care does really well at Sears - at least in Canada. It is the only "normal" retailer in Canada (from coast to coast) that has a consistently wide variety of basic, traditional bagged vacuums to choose from. It is the easiest place to go for bags and belts and filtres - I am often finding myself at Sears to pick up supplies for a Miele or an Electrolux or a Hoover. The stores are all open on Sunday which is not the case for most vacuum specialty shops.

Most importantly: Kenmore vacuums made by Panasonic, and Panasonic vacuums themselves, have consistently topped the ratings tables in Consumer Reports for at least the last 10 years. Both uprights and canisters. And the Brand Reliability surveys done by CR also indicate a pretty reliable brand compared to other vacs out there.

So, my intiution (pardon the Kenmore pun) is that the floor care departments of Sears are actually a bright spot on their spreadsheets. I would be surprised if the Kenmore vacs disappear altogether.
 
I was in K-Mart recently and noticed that low to mid line Kenmore branded uprights (bagless, of course) are manufactured by Eureka (Swedish Electrolux). Very inefficient dual cyclone system - if they were going to copy a very old Dyson design, they should have done a better job. Perhaps the inefficient design which allows much dust into the motor, is to hasten the end of the machine's life.

The top of the line Kenmore cleaners they NOW sell are still Panasonic designs.

But I have heard for six months now, by people who are very much "in the know" that Panasonic is going to stop making vacuums for the US market.
 
panasoonic and Kenmore

I will be sorry to see these vacuums go. I guess that means the mc-cg series will also be gone, I have the mc-cg902, a very nice vacuum for the price. Maybe I should pick up an mc-cg937 while they are still available, that's another good model. The power nozzles will still be available from Centec probably, wonder if the Kenmore brand of vacuums will also disappear. Perhaps Sears could go back to having Whirl Pool make their vacuums, that's who made them before Panasonic did. Hopefully the Q bags will still be available for a while, they fit the 902, does anyone know if the mc-cg937 takes the same bags?
 
included bags

Ah ok, the mc-cg902 actually came with a paper bag, I replaced it with the Kenmore Q bag since I think cloth bags are much better. I think the main differences are, the 937 has a speed control and includes the Centec ct20QD, where as the 902 has the CT18QD. Also the 937 has a bag holder that can be removed. Not sure if that makes much difference in performance. For the price, you really could not beat the features these vacuums had. Some of the newer Kenmores looked interesting as well, the problem I have with those is that they use nonstandard hose ends which really limits what attachments you can use.
 
Probably pricing pressure

I doubt Sears really cares too much as to who makes the machine or it has anything to do with their current financial issues, remember they had private branded Fantoms back in the day. All they care about is profitability, it lasting through warranty, and selling service plans.

While the Panasonic machines have performed well and seem to sell just fine Panasonic has to be under some pricing pressure. I was at Sears yesterday, they just redid their vacuum department last month and were running a 20% off all floorcare (excluding Dyson of course). Now a lot of these cheaper Chinese vacs have insane markup, some of them nearly 50%. I doubt the markup on the Panasonics is that high. Now Sears sells mostly Kenmore vacs and are probably the biggest customer, so there has to be pressure to keep the costs at a certain level so they can run sales like this week's 20% off deal yet at the same time keep the quality high enough to justify the cost of the more expensive ones.
 
This really sucks in a bad way!!

They have some nice stuff and I love the look of the new power head they came out with recently for the softer style carpets!! They are one of few companies that still has a decent, full sized power nozzle for carpets!!
 
I think Panasonic moved their North American vac assembly line to Mexico from Danville, Kentucky. That would be the plant that would need to be bought by someone like Whirlpool or Tacony to keep the Kenmores coming.
 
What a difference 14 years makes. Here's a news article reprinted from a Kentucky newspaper from 2002:

July 8, 2002


(Reprinted from The Advocate Messenger)
Matsushita Home Appliance Co., Danville, Ky., is alive and well and plant officials held a news conference Wednesday to get the message out.

"We want to dispel rumors and comments about the business," said President Mitsu Yoneda.

The industry, which makes Kenmore and Panasonic vacuum cleaners, recently announced a buy-out offer to its employees. It also has been plagued with rumors that the entire plant will close ever since the microwave production line was moved overseas in 2000.

J.D. Lewis, vice president for administration, said the same information released to news media Wednesday has been presented to Mayor Alex Stevens and Judge-Executive Tony Wilder as well as financial leaders in the community.

Yoneda said the buy-out is being made to reduce the work force to make the plant more competitive in the home appliance business. The plant has been successful in the past "and we are positive about our present and future in Danville," Yoneda said.

Matsushita became the sole owner of the Whirlpool Corp. facility on Lebanon Road in 1994. There is also a production facility in Mexico with 270 employees, primarily assembly workers.

Some of the bright signs for the plant future were outlined by J.D. Lewis, vice president for administration.

In 2001, the plant had record sales and the goal for this year is to exceed those sales by 5 percent and to exceed production by 4 percent.

"We are capturing more of the market share," Lewis said.

The quality of the upright and canister vacuum cleaners was recognized this year by Consumer Reports magazine, which rated a canister and an upright as number one in their respective categories. The plant makes about 150 different models, which can mean only differences in color or be entirely different machines. Sixteen new models are being introduced this year.

Matsushita is the largest producer of canister vacuum cleaners in the United States. The Danville plant, which currently employs just over 1,000 people, handles all aspects of vacuum cleaner production in-house, including design, computer modeling, production, testing and shipping.

There is also an expansion that has started with the addition of 72,000 square feet. "We are expanding to bring in a new business," Lewis said.

However, it will be a couple of months before Matsushita will be announcing what the business is. About 30 employees will be added.

The plant is also spending about $9 million this year for equipment and tools, including a new computer system that will include rebuilding the business database. "I don't think we'd put that in if we were going out," Lewis said.

Between 1997 and 2001, $50 million was invested in the plant, including a 240,000-square-foot expansion, new plastic molding machines and the use of a computer to create prototypes.

The buy-out is suppose to trim staff to a size that allows the company to stay competitive in a marketplace that has seen vacuum cleaner prices drop. Forty percent of all uprights sold in America cost less than $99, Lewis said, and 40 percent come from Mexico or China.

"We are in a global competition."

Lewis said it is not known exactly how many employees will take the offer to leave the company with a benefit package that includes 2 1/2 weeks of pay for every year worked. Employees eligible have until Aug. 5 to make a decision.

Lewis expects the response to be high. "We think we're going to be hiring people" because of the numbers that could retire early. If not enough take the offer, employees may have to be let go.

One factor driving the buy-out is a two-level pay scale the plant put in place when it acquired full ownership from Whirlpool. If those at the higher pay don't take the buy-out, they will likely have a decrease in pay.

The company is also making other changes to keep expenses down. Matsushita had been paying 85 percent of health insurance premiums. As of Jan. 1, the company will only pick up 80 percent of the premiums.

Matsushita has filled all its existing covered space, Lewis said. When the microwave line was moved here, the industry had to lease storage space elsewhere in the community. With the microwave line gone, part of that space is again used for a warehouse. In addition, a new assembly line has been added in part of the old microwave section.

"We are happy with the direction we are going," Lewis said. "Our vision is that we will become the number one vacuum cleaner manufacturer in the world."
 
If I were to pick what was overall Kenmore's best vacuums they ever had someone make for them, it would be the professional models that were made by Sebo. I find it overall very interesting for a top of the line vacuum manufacturer to make vacuums for a store department brand company. These models are overall the best Kenmores I have ever used. Why? First of all, it does a really good at cleaning, they are very durable, and what I really like about these is the fact that the parts are still available to get from bumper to bumper. Last time I looked at sears parts direct to see what parts were still available for these, they have everything but the Kenmore labled bags and filters for these professional models. It's a shame Kenmore didn't really sold alot of these.

panasonicvac-2016060919190709904_1.jpg
 
I agree Brian. Some may say they are junk. I agree quality wasn't as great as it was 20 years ago. But Sears' vacuum dept and many of their Kenmores were a breath of fresh air in a market that mainly consists of bagless uprights. And many Panasonics and Kenmores still used parts and design elements dating back 20 years or more. Very rare in today's new design every 5 years market. Walmart only sells two Eureka canisters and those are the only ones I can think of outside of Sears and Kmart. We have no specialty vacuum stores here.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top