“Our disciplined focus on margin management, capital allocation and cash generation has also led to a strong returns profile from our asset light operating model.
AEG has gained certification for selected programmes across several of its appliances from leading test competence centre, Swissatest Testmaterialien AG.
The certification from Swissatest means consumers can have confidence that these programmes show an outstanding efficiency to remove bacteria and viruses. This certification applies to the following cycles on a number of AEG products including washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers, all of which will show the Swissatest logo:
For washing machines/washer dryers: The Anti Allergy/Anti Allergy Vapour programme removes more than 99.99% of bacteria and viruses including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium;
For tumble-dryers: The Hygiene/Duvet cycle removes more than 99.9% of bacteria and viruses including Candida albicans and Escherichia coli; and
For dishwashers: The ExtraHygiene function removes more than 99.9999% of bacteria and viruses including Micrococcus luteus and MS2 bacteriophage.
Luke Harding, general manager at Electrolux, said: “We know there are a great number of people who are concerned about bacteria and virus spread, particularly in light of the past 18 months.
“We are therefore delighted to be able to offer certified programmes which can remove up to 99.9999% of certain bacteria and viruses. This collaboration with Swissatest supports our company goal of helping to shape living for the better. It should also hopefully give some peace of mind to our consumers.”
recent research undertaken by AEG, tackling germs was very much front of mind with consumers. The research found that one in five of all Europeans polled had increased the number of times they were doing the laundry due to COVID-19 – 14% of all Europeans cited ‘getting rid of germs’ as the main reason for washing clothes.
Iain Wareham, Electrolux’s head of product line care, said: “This is an incredibly important piece of work with absolute relevance in the times we are now living in. In order to achieve it, we involved people across the business including from R&D, product, marketing, fabric care and dish care.
“We are proud to have met the challenging test requirements set by Swissatest and delighted to be able to share the news with consumers.”
Christian Portmann, chief executive of Swissatest, said: “While it is not uncommon for programmes to target the removal of bacteria, the high performance against virus removal within AEG products is remarkable.
“This is the very first time, that we, as a scientific test institute and test material producer, are able to share our comprehensive view on washing processes with the end user, taking cleaning performance, sustainability and hygiene aspects into account
Haier has showcased its latest innovations in refrigeration, connected wine cellars and washing machines with the exclusive debut of Haier cooking – Series 6: a complete range of premium kitchen appliances guided by Artificial Intelligence.
The launch saw the first ever collection of Haier built-in appliances, and further enhances Haier’s reputation for premium design, quality and reliability alongside connectivity and cutting-edge innovation.
Haier explains that Series 6 incapsulates premium technology that comes together in a range of ovens, hobs, hoods, refrigerators, and dishwashers that use connectivity, the hOn App and AI to offer tailor-made solutions for the modern home, thanks also to their elegant and minimalist design.
The Chef@Home oven, which, thanks to a presence sensor, turns on automatically, giving the user access to the 19-inch full touch control screen. The innovative “Cook with me” technology is designed to bring Artificial Intelligence into everyday life. Furthermore, the PreciTaste technology recognises the types of food placed inside the oven, so it automatically sets the cooking parameters, sending the user a notification when the food is ready.
Haier’s Series 6 oven features AI technology
Haier’s cooking range embodies the brand’s continuous efforts to offer premium products and high-tech solutions, clearly also visible in the induction hob range: thanks to the innovative PreciProbe Bluetooth temperature probe, which is also included in the Chef@Home oven. The induction hob maintains the temperature of the food, automatically choosing the correct power at every stage of cooking notifying the user when it is ready.
Exclusive features of the Series 6 hob range also include Multi-zone technology, which – thanks to an advanced temperature detection system and optimised power management – can detect and manage the presence of different sized pots in the same area, ensuring maximum flexibility.
Meanwhile, VaryCook technology allows users to increase and decrease the temperature of their hob with ease without touching the controls, simply by sliding pots and pans up and down, thanks to three power levels (high, medium and low), giving the possibility to cook food at varying temperatures during the cooking phases.
The range is completed by gas hobs, in which Haier offers models with the most powerful set of burners on the market, (5 Kw of power), and with the use of the innovative and exclusive PreciFlame technology, which makes it possible to adjust the intensity of the flame to perfection by offering nine different power levels.
Jim McEwan, Haier’s Chief Commercial Officer, said “Haier’s kitchen built-in range, characterised by perfect integration between technology, connectivity and tailor-made products.
“Thanks to Artificial Intelligence and the hOn App, we offer our customers exclusive experiences connected to household appliances, which ranges from exclusive refrigeration solutions, innovative cooking options and reactive wine cellars. Haier is truly the number one brand in major Appliances, worldwide.
Romanian home appliances producer Arctic, part of the Arçelik group, announced the opening of a regional spare parts hub in Arges County that will supply 23 countries as part of the development strategy of the Turkish group in Romania and the region. Thus, Romania will play a key role as a logistics centre for the entire European continent.
Located in Căteasca, Argeș County, near the Pitești-Bucharest highway, the new warehouse has an area of 10,000 square meters and a storage capacity of 11,500 cubic meters. It became fully operational at the end of March and includes offices and functional areas for new employees.
In the first phase, the hub will serve 15 countries in the European Union and 8 outside the Union. The network will expand to include other European countries.
“Romania has a strategic role at the intersection of three major markets, which makes it ideal both as a production hub and an important centre for coordinating logistics activities. At the same time, the opening of this warehouse is in line with our sustainability strategy, which focuses on reliable products with a high degree of repairability and a reduction in carbon footprint,” said Murat Büyükerk, Arctic Chief Executive Officer. Murat Büyükerk, Arctic CEO: Romania is an excellent place to live and do business
The centre will provide spare parts for all products sold by Arctic and Arçelik, mainly for the categories of refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and air conditioners. The parts come from the two Arctic factories in Romania, Găești and Ulmi, and the five Arçelik factories in Turkey and China.
Midea Group Co., Ltd. was honoured as a pioneer of Industry 4.0 technologies with two factories, Midea Heifei and Midea Jingzhou, included in the Global Lighthouse Network of the World Economic Forum (WEF), showing the Group’s efforts in achieving both production efficiency and sustainability.
The Global Lighthouse Network is a community of production sites and value chains which are world leaders in the adoption and integration of the cutting-edge technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). In total, Midea Group owns 4 WEF Lighthouse factories covering smart home appliances, which account for a relatively high proportion of the Group’s revenue.
“Our factory used to produce high-end and middle-end products at the same time, and our production faced a very big challenge,” commented Li Zhen, General Manager of Midea Jingzhou factory. “It was very inefficient in the traditional manufacturing way, and difficult to meet the needs of our consumers in time.” Through the implementation of the digital and intelligent transformation measures, Midea Jingzhou lighthouse factory adopted flexible automation. loT and artificial intelligence with more than 2,000 digital transformation initiatives have increased labor productivity by 52%, and reduced production lead time by 25%, the failure rate by 53%, and the utility consumption per unit by 20%.
Midea washing machine factory in Hefei has also witnessed a similar revolution. The number of product SKUs exceeds 1,100 and the annual production and sales volume of Midea Hefei is also at the forefront. “Digitalization has driven the transformation of our entire business process, model and increased efficiency,” according to Zhang Zhimin, General Manager of the factory.
Targeting domestic high-end product segments and overseas market expansion, Midea Hefei Advanced 4IR Lighthouse factory widely deploys artificial intelligence and loT technologies across end-to-end value chains to form a faster response and more efficient supply chain, resulting in lead time reduction by 56%, customer report defect rate reduction by 36%, and labor productivity improvement by 45%. Also, it also helps to meet the goal of achieving carbon emissions peak in 2025 and net-zero in 2040.
In the future, Midea Group will continue to increase investment in digitalization, IoT, global breakthroughs and technological leadership and invest in new cutting-edge technologies,” said Simon Zhang, CIO of Midea Group.
Elica staff Excited to celebrate a new production record in the Elica plant in Mexico. Congratulations to all Elica teams for this important achievement!
Extraordinary success reached in Haier’s factory in Eskişehir, Turkey: 6 million tumble dryers produced! 🎉
With the opening of the new washing factory announced last year, the production is expanded to a new tumble dryers’ platform, which features premium production processes, advanced R&D and manufacturing know-how.
Electrolux wins four Red Dot Design Awards for outstanding product design Electrolux has picked up four Red Dot Awards, the most sought-after seal of good design, for innovative laundry care products across Electrolux and AEG brands.
“Red Dot Awards mean a lot in the world of product design,” says Simon Bradford, Chief Design Officer at Electrolux. “Once again, Electrolux has been recognized for innovation and delivering a great consumer experience.”
The winners were chosen by an expert jury and the winning products will be presented at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany and online at www.red-dot.org
The winners are:
Microplastic Filter
Made with at least 50% recycled plastic the Microplastic Filter helps capture up to 90% of microplastic fibers, larger than 45 microns, released by synthetic clothing and textiles when washing, preventing release into laundry waste water. The cartridge can collect microplastic fibers from several washing cycles and a red dot indicates when it needs to be emptied. It enables consumers to make a meaningful difference to the environment.
UniversalDose drawer makes washing at lower temperature and quick cycle more efficient by mixing the detergent and water before the mixture reaches the fabrics. This delivers clean clothes at a lower temperature, with significant savings in water and energy. Visually, the UniversalDose drawer’s colors and iconography help consumers wash more sustainably whether they use pods, liquid, or powder.
The new AEG 2022 Range
The AEG 2022 won two awards, one for the design and consistency of the full range and one for the design alignment of the washer-dryer pair. With this product series and consistent AEG branding, Electrolux used a color combination and a left–to-right user interaction that delivers a great consumer experience, plus connectivity, with tailored programs customizable remotely through the AEG app. The brand identity across the range is maintained with a combination of design solutions in the doors, the knob, and the control panel
Kitchen Innovation Awards were presented for the 16th time. Based on consumer surveys, kitchen appliances and equipment are recognized. The FlexiBridge XT® hob and the glass surface of the Matt Black range from AEG were convincing in several categories.
In product development, AEG consistently focuses on added value for consumers . The awards with the Kitchen Innovation Award underline this strong customer orientation . Because in the selection process – in addition to the pre-selection by a specialist and practice-oriented jury – the voice of the consumer counts . Every year, they honor product innovations with this award that particularly meet the needs of consumers. This year, AEG was pleased to receive two prestigious awards . In addition to the FlexiBridge XT® cooktop with integrated extractor , theinnovative glass surface of the Matt Black Range consumers.
FlexiBridge XT
“Consumers are increasingly demanding customizable solutions in the kitchen. Our FlexiBridge XT® hob with integrated extractor hood and flexible cooking zones is our answer to this need. It adapts to the wishes of the user – whether during the cooking process or during the planning of the kitchen,” explains Ronny Breitenfeld , Category Manager for hobs at AEG.
AEG describes: “The reliable removal of food odors thanks to automated extraction, the flexible connection of the cooking zones on both sides of the central extractor hood and its flush finish create a particularly attractive cooking experience. Both the expert jury and the consumers honored the advantages of the FlexiBridge XT with an award in the categories of functionality, ease of use, innovation, product benefits and design .”
Matt Black Range
AEG Matt Black Range presents itself with a surface finished with special glass. “When developing our glass surfaces, the needs and wishes of the users are our most important guide. Winning the Kitchen Innovation Award shows that we have succeeded in merging function, sustainability and design ,” says Ingrid Krüger , product manager for stoves and ovens at AEG.
The matt black glass surface of the premium devices is the result of a special surface treatment. A special etching process gives the glass its permanently matt appearance. By completely dispensing with chemical coatings, the matt glass surfaces are fully recyclable , do not wear out even with regular use and thus meet the high demands of sustainable design, as AEG describes it. “It is not only an eye-catcher in the modern kitchen, but also convinces with its special functionality: The matt texture of the glass surfaces has anti-fingerprint properties, is stain-resistant and easy to clean .” The Matt Black Range thus secured theAward in the categories of functionality, innovation, product benefits, design and material properties .
About the Kitchen Innovation Award
For 16 years, the Kitchen Innovation Award has been honoring product innovations in the kitchen sector that focus on the needs of consumers. Created by the LifeCare.Network initiative, the award promotes needs-based product innovations and highlights products that are particularly consumer-friendly. The winners will be determined in a multi-stage selection process . In a first step, a practice-oriented jury evaluates all submitted products with regard to the submission criteria. Consumers can then cast their votes for the products . The award is intended to provide consumers and retailers alike with clear and objective guidance when making a purchase
