Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa (PMMAF) has named Ahmed Abdulwahed Trading Co (AAW) as its new Saudi distributor for small domestic appliances. The partnership, which marks an important stage in Panasonic’s growth strategy, will help the Japanese manufacturer revitalize its small domestic appliances business in the Kingdom, while also giving a significant boost to Panasonic’s goal of expanding its regional market share as it caters to evolving customer demands.
AAW is one of the largest multi-brand distributors and retailers of smart lifestyle electronic products in Saudi Arabia, and the alliance is expected to strengthen Panasonic’s business in the Kingdom by creating a value-added supply chain for its customers, particularly in the small domestic appliances segment.
This development also highlights Panasonic’s core mission of developing useful products and delivering innovative technologies to improve the lives and well-being of its Saudi customers. Similarly, Panasonic hopes to contribute to society through environmentally friendly products and the use of clean energy, in keeping with its strong commitment to building a sustainable future.
Hiroyuki Shibutani, Managing Director, PMMAF, said: “We see great potential in this partnership with AAW as this aligns with our regional growth initiatives. Over the years, KSA has remained as one of our important markets so we continuously offer the widest product portfolio, in particular locally-fit solutions to help our Saudi customers live their best. With AAW’s in-depth understanding of the local market and strong presence across the Kingdom, it creates an ideal opportunity for us to deliver the best electronic appliances that will enrich the lives of the people. Our customers will benefit from increased product availability and top-notch customer service by combining our industry-leading solutions with AAW’s solid track record of operational excellence and sales network.”
Commenting on the partnership, Mohammed Abdulwahed – Director, Marketing and Sales AAW, stated: “At AAW, we are continuously evolving by offering new innovations that address our customers’ changing needs. Panasonic’s appliance portfolio will significantly strengthen our offerings, therefore, we are delighted to form this alliance with them. With Panasonic, we have found a robust and truly world-class brand that perfectly complements AAW’s growing portfolio and we believe that this agreement reached with them will enhance our position in the domestic market even more.”
Alongside Panasonic’s plan to make deeper inroads into the local small domestic appliances market, the company revealed it is also focusing on improving customer value to further strengthen its presence in KSA. Mr. Shibutani explained: “As we strive to reinforce our competitiveness and maintain our leadership position in Saudi, we continue to find ways to deliver new value to customers as we firmly believe that service is the key differentiator for any business. One proof of this is the launch of the SMART CARE App in the Kingdom earlier this year, which considerably enhances the quality of our conversation with our customers and allows us to be more connected.”
The SMART CARE App, a digital platform developed by Panasonic for service and warranty support in Saudi Arabia, allows customers, dealers, and service centers to seamlessly communicate all service-related matters and claim warranty without the need for physical invoice copies and warranty cards.
The Panasonic-AAW collaboration was formalized at an exclusive event hosted by the Japanese manufacturer in Riyadh. Other senior executives from PMMAF and AAW joined Mr. Shibutani and Mr. Mohammed Abdulwahed. Presentations and a mini-exhibit of the latest Panasonic products from various categories, including Personal Care (Beauty and Grooming), Cooking Appliances, and Living Solutions, were also part of the event.
