Cumulative Global Shipments of nanoe™ Devices Exceed 100 Million Units

Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation (https://www.panasonic.com/global/home.html) today announced that the cumulative number of nanoe™*¹ devices manufactured, sold, and shipped by the company both in Japan and overseas, has now exceeded 100 million units*².

In the 1990s, air pollution became an issue in living environments. In response, nanoe™ originated in 1997 when Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. (at the time) began research and development focused on purifying the air in living environments, utilizing water's properties to dissolve odor components. In 2001, with the cooperation of Dr. Kikuo Okuyama (currently Professor Emeritus at Hiroshima University), full-scale technological development began. This gave birth to nanoe™, nano-sized particulate ions enveloped in water, generated by applying high voltage to moisture.

Following the completion of a nanoe™ device, in 2003, Matsushita Electric Works launched the world's first nanoe™-equipped air purifier Air Refresh. In 2005, Panasonic launched the nanoe™-equipped hair dryer, ionity nanocare Windpress, highlighting the features of nanoe™, which has more than 1,000 times the moisture content compared to negative ions and a long life. Since then, nanoe™ devices have continued to evolve according to their applications and effects, and the range of products incorporating them has expanded. These products include white goods such as room air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines equipped with nanoe™ devices to increase the amount of Hydroxyl(OH) radicals generated, as well as beauty and grooming appliances such as hair dryers and facial steamers equipped with nanoe™ devices to increase the amount of moisture generated.

In addition, against the backdrop of the recent growing global demand for improved air quality, annual shipments of nanoe™ devices exceeded 10 million units in the fiscal year ending in March 2022. Currently, nanoe™ devices are used not only in Panasonic products, but also in facilities and public spaces around the world, including domestic railroads (16 companies), domestic and foreign automobiles (115 car models from 9 companies), schools, hospitals, hotels, offices, and commercial facilities, with expansion to 107 countries worldwide*³.

Panasonic will continue to explore and advance the possibilities of nanoe™ technology to provide clean and comfortable spaces in various aspects of people's lives and society, such as in the field of home appliances, mobility, housing, facilities, and public spaces, thereby helping every individual become the person they want to be.