Osaka, Japan - Panasonic Corporation today announced that it has completed the procedures to acquire UNION RHAC TECNOLOGIA (UR), a Brazilian air conditioning engineering company, on September 1. UR is engaged in the engineering, installation and after-sales services for commercial air conditioners, such as absorption chillers for large-scale commercial facilities and factories, and gas-cogeneration systems. It is a leading engineering firm in Brazil, handling over 80% of absorption chillers delivered in that country. Through this acquisition, Panasonic will leverage UR's knowhow in this field to establish its presence in Brazil's air conditioner market.

Among Latin American countries, Brazil has a strong demand for commercial air conditioners, with a high potential for business growth. In recent years the country, as with Japan, is actively working to equalize energy demands and lower running costs by promoting the use of energy from gas as well as electricity.

Panasonic, a top manufacturer of gas air conditioners in Japan, has accumulated over more than 40 years a wealth of energy-saving, environmentally friendly technology and services knowhow for absorption chillers and gas heat pumps (GHPs). Combining this with UR's strengths in sales and engineering services platforms will allow Panasonic to further strengthen and promote its proposals for energy-saving solutions based on gas energy from GHP for buildings to absorption chillers for large facilities and factories. Panasonic aims to expand its gas air conditioning business in the Latin American market, centering on Brazil.