Midea, one of the world’s most influential home appliance manufacturers, has wrapped up 2025 with a powerful financial performance and a bold push into next‑generation automation.
The Chinese giant reported 12% year‑on‑year sales growth, reaching 458 billion yuan (€58 billion). Shareholder profit climbed even faster, rising 14% to 44 billion yuan (€5.55 billion).
One of the standout figures in Midea’s latest results is its export performance. Overseas sales surged to 196 billion yuan (nearly €25 billion), now accounting for 43% of total revenue—a clear sign of the brand’s expanding global footprint.
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🌍 A Global Powerhouse in Core Appliance Components
Midea isn’t just a major appliance brand—it’s a foundational supplier to the global industry. The company remains:
– The world’s largest manufacturer of residential air‑conditioning compressors
– A leading producer of washing machine motors
These components power millions of appliances sold under dozens of brands worldwide, giving Midea a unique influence across the entire white goods ecosystem.
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🤖 A Massive Bet on Humanoid Robotics
Perhaps the most forward‑looking part of Midea’s 2025 strategy is its investment in robotics. The company has allocated 60 billion yuan (€7.6 billion) to research and development, with a significant portion directed toward humanoid robots.
These robots are already being deployed inside Midea’s factories, where they’re assisting with quality control tasks—a move that signals how quickly automation is evolving from concept to practical application in large‑scale manufacturing.
For the wider appliance industry, this shift could reshape everything from production efficiency to product reliability.
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🔍 What This Means for the Appliance Market
Midea’s 2025 results highlight several key trends worth watching:
– Global demand for appliances remains resilient, even in a competitive market.
– Component leadership gives Midea strategic leverage, especially as brands seek efficient, reliable supply chains.
– Robotics investment signals a long‑term shift toward smarter, more automated manufacturing.
– Export growth shows Midea’s increasing dominance in Europe, the Middle East, and emerging markets.
For retailers, manufacturers, and consumers, Midea’s trajectory suggests a future where appliances become more advanced, more efficient, and potentially more affordable as production technologies evolve.
Category Archives: Domestic appliance news,
Elica Previews Two Major Innovations for EuroCucina 2026
Elica is set to make waves at EuroCucina 2026 with two standout launches: an upgraded Lhov All‑in‑One system and the new Luna smart lamp.
🔥 Lhov, Now Smarter and Sleeker
The integrated hob‑oven‑extractor returns with a matte white finish, voice control, and more intuitive functions. Its seamless design blends directly into modern cabinetry, pushing the boundaries of minimalist kitchen tech.
💡 Luna: Lighting That Thinks
Luna goes beyond traditional lighting, combining ambient and task illumination with gesture, app, and voice control. It automatically adapts to what’s happening in the kitchen, creating a dynamic, responsive atmosphere.
🌐 A Step Forward in Kitchen Experience
With Lhov and Luna, Elica reinforces its role as a global leader in kitchen innovation — merging design, smart technology, and everyday usability into one cohesive experience.
China’s Major Appliance Brands Announce Price Rises — What’s Driving the Increases?
China’s home appliance market is entering a new phase of price adjustments, with several major brands — including Hisense, Haier, Midea, Siemens, TCL, Panasonic, Rongsheng, and Fotile — confirming that retail prices are climbing across multiple categories. The news has sparked strong consumer interest, especially as global raw material costs continue to fluctuate.
During a recent visit to appliance retailers in Nanjing’s Xinjiekou district, reporters found that while price increases are real, they’re not uniform across all products or channels. Here’s what’s behind the shift.
📈 Raw Material Costs Are the Main Driver
One of the clearest pressures comes from rising copper prices, a critical material in refrigerators, compressors, and especially air conditioners.
🔹 Refrigerators: Copper & Component Upgrades
A Rongsheng refrigerator representative explained that higher copper costs have pushed up production expenses. The brand also differentiates
Extending CBAM to Home Appliances: A Necessary Step for Fair Competition and Climate Integrity
The proposal to expand the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to include washing machines, refrigerators, and dryers is both timely and essential.
More than 75% of large household appliances produced in Europe are sold within the EU. As a result, manufacturers are directly exposed to rising material and production costs driven by the Emissions Trading System (ETS).
With free ETS allowances being phased out, European producers will face increasing carbon costs—costs that imported finished goods can currently avoid. This widening “carbon gap” risks distorting the market and undermining Europe’s capacity to innovate.
Why extending CBAM matters
Bringing home appliances into the CBAM framework would:
– Level the playing field by ensuring imported goods face equivalent carbon costs
– Encourage global decarbonisation by rewarding low‑carbon manufacturing practices
– Safeguard EU climate ambition by preventing carbon leakage and reinforcing the ETS
To fully achieve CBAM’s objectives, we urge the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to extend coverage to additional home appliance categories that face similar carbon leakage risks.
A comprehensive approach is the only way to protect European industry while staying true to the EU’s climate commitments.
India Emerges as a Global Growth Engine for Appliance Giants
BSH Home Appliances Group, the company behind Bosch and Siemens appliances, has reported 7% growth in India for FY25, even as its global revenue dipped by around 1.6% year‑on‑year. The contrast is striking, and it underscores a clear trend: India is becoming a critical growth anchor for global white goods players.Dr. Matthias Metz, CEO of BSH, summed it up succinctly:
“BSH Home Appliances India is an extremely important market that demands separate focus.”
Samsung Confirmed as Italy’s Most Preferred Fridge and Washing Machine Brand for 2025
Samsung has once again been named Italy’s favourite brand for refrigerators and washing machines, according to the 2025 Ipsos Brand Attitude survey. The study, conducted in 30 countries, measures brand strength through indicators such as the Most Preferred metric — a spontaneous, single‑answer question asking consumers which brand they favour above all others.
Samsung has held the top spot in both categories since 2018.
“We have been the reference brand in the Refrigerator and Washing Machine categories since 2018,” said Daniele Grassi, Vice President & Head of Home Appliances at Samsung Italy. “Such a long‑lasting result shows that consumers are more than satisfied and recommend us to others.”
Grassi added that Samsung’s leadership reflects a shift among Italian consumers who now view appliances — with lifespans of 7–10 years — as long‑term investments, prioritising performance and quality over price alone.
BSH Reports Stable 2025 Performance With Growth Across Most Regions
BSH Home Appliances Group closed the 2025 fiscal year with €15.0 billion in sales. Adjusted for currency effects, this reflects a slight 1.6% dip, though local‑currency growth reached 2.8%. The company saw positive momentum in North America, Europe, and Emerging Markets, while Greater China remained challenging.
Regional Highlights
North America delivered strong results, with over 5% growth in local currency and continued market‑share gains. Premium brands Gaggenau and Thermador, along with built‑in refrigeration and gas cooktops, drove performance. BSH also strengthened the Bosch brand and its overall competitiveness in the region.
In Europe, sales rose 1.2% despite ongoing price pressure. Built‑in appliances grew 4%, supported by solid demand in Germany, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy.
The Emerging Markets region posted 2.3% growth—and an impressive 24% in local currency—across Turkey, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa. BSH also advanced its footprint with a new factory in Cairo. India will become an autonomous region in 2026 due to its scale and strategic importance.
Only Greater China declined, with sales down 7.1% amid persistent market weakness, though BSH maintained its leading position among non‑Chinese manufacturers.
Product Category Trends
Most categories showed resilience in 2025:
– Cooking appliances returned to growth: ovens up 2.0%, hobs and extractor hoods up 2.6%, with rising demand for hobs with integrated ventilation.
– Dishwashers grew 2.1%.
– Small appliances held steady at +0.1%.
– Customer Service revenue edged up 0.3%, reinforcing BSH’s focus on product longevity and customer satisfaction.
Cooling (–4.0%) and laundry (–1.0%) declined, largely due to intense competition in Greater China.
Sabaf Group Reports Solid 2025 Results Amid Deep Sadness for the Loss of CEO Pietro Iotti
Sabaf Group has released its 2025 financial results, but this year’s numbers arrive under the shadow of profound loss. The sudden passing of CEO Pietro Iotti has left the entire organisation grieving, with emotions far outweighing the satisfaction of a positive—though complex—financial performance.
A Year of Stability and Selective Growth
Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, Sabaf closed 2025 with revenues up 0.8%, reaching €279 million. Profitability also showed resilience:
– EBITDA rose 2.4% to €41 million, representing nearly 15% of total revenues.
– Net profit, however, declined from €16 million to €13 million, reflecting higher costs and a more cautious market.
Even with the dip in net profit, the Board of Directors expressed confidence in the company’s financial health. They intend to maintain the dividend at €0.58 per share, a signal of stability to shareholders and stakeholders alike.
Leadership Transition During a Difficult Moment
In the wake of Iotti’s passing, Sabaf has moved swiftly to ensure continuity and steady governance.
– Gianluca Beschi, previously Chief Financial Officer, will step into the role of CEO.
– Andrea Bonfadelli, Technical Director of the Gas Division and Director of the Supply Chain, has been appointed General Manager.
Both leaders are long-standing figures within the Ospitaletto-based company, and their appointments reflect Sabaf’s commitment to internal expertise and strategic continuity.
Looking Ahead
While the financial results demonstrate resilience, 2025 will be remembered as a year marked by loss. Yet Sabaf’s leadership, operational strength, and long-term vision position the company to move forward with stability and respect for the legacy of Pietro Iotti.
Midea Outlines Strategic Role for Küppersbusch in Its European Expansion
Midea has offered fresh clarity on how Küppersbusch—its German premium appliance brand acquired last year—will fit into the group’s broader European strategy. According to Ralph Kobsik, Managing Director of Midea Europe GmbH, the company intends to keep Küppersbusch operating as an independent, premium‑focused entity.
The move signals Midea’s ambition to strengthen its presence in the high‑end appliance market, an area where Küppersbusch has long held strong brand equity. Rather than folding the brand into Midea’s mainstream portfolio, the company plans to preserve its distinctive identity, design language, and market positioning.
Kobsik confirmed that the initial strategic focus will be on refrigeration and built‑in appliances, two categories where Küppersbusch has historically excelled. New product designs will remain aligned with the brand’s established aesthetic, ensuring continuity for loyal customers and retail partners.
However, one major shift is already underway: production will not return to the former Essen facility, which has now closed. While manufacturing will be relocated, Midea emphasises that the brand’s design DNA and premium positioning will remain intact.
This clarification offers a clearer picture of how Midea plans to balance scale with exclusivity—leveraging Küppersbusch’s heritage while integrating it into a broader European growth strategy.
WhiteGoodsNow will continue tracking developments as Midea refines its premium‑market ambitions.
Cafom Group buyer of the brands belonging to the Brandt Group.
The Nanterre Commercial Court has selected the Cafom Group as the buyer of the brands belonging to the Brandt Group. The deal, valued at €18.6 million, covers four well-known appliance brands—Brandt, Sauter, De Dietrich, and Vedette—along with their associated patents and existing inventory.
Following the acquisition, Cafom has already restarted distribution of these brands in both the French and international markets. The group has also outlined plans to progressively reindustrialize production, with a clear intention to maintain manufacturing activities in France 🇫🇷.
To support this strategy, Cafom has partnered with Arpa, an Alsatian company specializing in cooking appliances. Arpa will notably take charge of induction cooktop production and is expected to create over 50 jobs in the short term, rising to around 130 positions in the longer term as part of a new oven production and assembly line.
At the same time, EverEver, a start-up based in Brittany that had previously submitted its own bid for the brands, has been approached to help develop a new range of washing machines scheduled for launch in the coming months.
Cafom says the project represents a major step in strengthening the French appliance industry.
“We are proud to launch this ambitious project, which will create jobs in France, preserve national industrial heritage, and protect the purchasing power of French consumers,” the group stated. “This initiative also reinforces our position as a leading player in the distribution of home furnishings and household equipment.”
Through this acquisition and its industrial partnerships, Cafom aims to revitalize historic French appliance brands while rebuilding local manufacturing capacity—a move that could bring both economic and industrial benefits in the years ahead.
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