Panasonic Headquarters Slated for Cahuenga

Panasonic Broadcast & Digital Systems is moving a new headquarters into a building on Cahuenga Boulevard near Universal Studios, gratifying boosters of Los Angeles as the new “digital coast” to rival Silicon Valley.

The company, a unit of Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems, has been based in Secausus, N.J., but is establishing a second headquarters in L.A., said Dan Margolis, spokesman for Mayor Richard Riordan.

The company already has a small sales and service office in L.A. with about 40 employees. But once moved in to the new location on Cahuenga Boulevard, it will expand its work force to 200 people, including executives and high-end computer programmers, he said.

The company is moving to be closer to partner companies and its factories in Japan, Los Angeles officials said. Riordan also called the company at one point to encourage it to expand here, Margolis said.