Indeed, this is sadly true. I have some more information:
Panasonic is totally pulling out of the NA market for home appliance, and even winding down TV production for the US. This has mostly to do with Panasonic's plans to concentrate on B2B, commercial, and industrial--batteries for EVs, power storage, aircraft components, etc. Think of what GE is doing, divesting from the consumer space, or what Westinghouse did many years ago. The profit margins are simply much greater outside of the consumer space, and the Japanese manufacturers are still struggling from decades of financial decline back home.
Kenmore has entered into a partnership with a Chinese manufacturer called Cleva who will continue to produce vacuums based on the Panasonic designs. Cleva purchased all the tooling from the Panasonic plant in Mexico and shipped it to their factory in China. They also hired many of the Panasonic engineering and testing folks from Danville and moved them to Cleva US HQ in Greenville, SC. Most of the Danville offices have been cleared out.
Cleva currently OEMs Craftsman shop vacs, and doesn't have any major presence in the consumer space. Kenmore will be Cleva's only US brand, and nobody else will sell the Kenmore designs.
I've seen the new Kenmore canisters, and indeed they use many of the same components and suppliers as the Panasonic-made models. The main difference is that the covers for specialty tool compartments will be clear, as apparently some consumers had no idea there were floor tools on board (!), and the casing will be smaller and lighter weight. That blasted pedal that keeps the canister wand upright, which always breaks after about six months, is still there, as it has been since the Whirlpool days.
There will be fewer models, but they appear to have better ergonomic designs that aren't bound by the old Panasonic exteriors. For instance, I found it a lot easier to switch between the power brush and the bare floor tool using just my feet. And it's a much better solution than the (I think) 21814 had with that nested silly dual brush.
Yes, Sears is circling the drain, but SHC is structured so that KCD Brands can be sold off separately. I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon bought it as a house brand, complete with the Sears Home Services network of technicians and the Sears delivery network, folding them all under the well-known Kenmore brand. Others inside the industry seem to agree that this may be a possibility.
