The parent company of GE Appliances is mounting its defense in one of the first cases over the safety of emissions from gas stoves – a lawsuit that does not allege any physical injury.The same day New York banned gas appliances in new residential buildings, Haier US Appliance Solutions, which purchased GE Appliances in 2016, filed a motion to dismiss a proposed consumer class action on May 3 in San Francisco federal court. Lawyers at Dovel & Luner sued Haier in March, arguing plaintiff Charles Drake would not have purchased or paid as much for his gas stove if he had known its emissions were harmful.Drake’s and a similar case, brought by the same lawyers against BSH Home Appliances Corporation, were filed in March after media coverage of gas stove emissions exploded. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has said it is considering regulation that many feared would lead to a ban on gas stoves.The CPSC is not planning imminent regulation, Haier says, having instead sought public comment to further investigate.”Thus, although recent news articles have speculated about an association between gas stoves and various health concerns, these claims remain disputed and the subject of ongoing research,” the motion to dismiss says.”Yet, according to Drake, GEA should be held liable for not cautioning against use of its own properly functioning product or redesigning its product to reduce energy use.”CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric said in January his agency had no intention of banning gas stoves and was simply “exploring new ways to address health risks.”However, New York isn’t waiting around for federal guidance. The state passed legislation that bans natural gas and other fossil fuels in new residential buildings, prohibiting appliances like gas-powered stoves and furnaces.Should GEA challenge New York’s ban, it could use a similar defense that it is employing in the Drake class action. In its motion to dismiss, GEA says the regulation of natural gas stoves belongs to the federal government under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
Category Archives: Manufacturing
New Electrolux Group study: Europe turns to 30° wash, driving down CO2 emissions
35 million European households have made the switch to washing at 30°C since 2020. That’s just one of the highlights from our latest pan-European report ‘The Truth About Laundry 2023’ which focuses on resource efficiency, and in particular energy usage.The Truth About Laundry report 2021
To help people create more sustainable habits in laundry care, we need to understand current attitudes and behaviors when it comes to how people care for their clothes, and to what extent people consider the environment. In 2021, we commissioned our first The Truth About Laundry report to give us powerful insights to drive change.Read the report here https://admin.betterlivingprogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Electrolux_TheTruthAboutLaundry_TheReport-1.pdf
China appliance industry decline
According to the “2022 Annual Report on China’s Household Appliance Industry,” both export and domestic sales of the industry are projected to decline in 2022. The export scale of the industry is expected to decrease by 10.9% YoY, amounting to 568.16 billion yuan, while domestic sales volume is expected to drop by 9.5% YoY, reaching 730.72 billion yuan.
However, some home appliance companies reported positive sales figures in their 2022 annual reports. Air conditioners, air fryers, and floor scrubbers were among the top-performing products in the market.
LG Named Most Sustainable Home Appliance Brand
LG Electronics has been named the industry’s most sustainable home appliance brand in the just-published 2023 Green Builder Sustainable Brand Index.
The ranking is based on the weighted average of three factors: survey data used to gauge builders’ perception of a company’s sustainability efforts, data that tracks the number of positive brand mentions by consumers who have used or have heard about a product, and sentiment that tracks how favorably consumers view a particular company.LG topped all three survey components – and is the only company among any category winners to do that – largely due to its ever-advancing and continually popular Signature Kitchen Suite brand and consistent emphasis on energy efficiency and performance.”
This top ranking follows the announcement that LG earned two coveted 2023 Green Builder Sustainable Products of the Year distinctions,“recognizing innovations that go above and beyond in manufacturing and encourage sustainability through innovative technology or an improved version of a traditional technique.” The LG Multi F MAX with LGRED° multi-zone heat pump HVAC system and LG STUDIO induction cooktop with a flex cooking zone were singled out as Sustainable Products of the Year in the HVAC and appliance categories, respectivelyNamed 2023 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, LG helps consumers take climate action in impactful ways. For example, ENERGY STAR certified LG clothes washers and dishwashers purchased by American consumers in the past year are expected to save more than 35 billion gallons of water over their product life, enough to fill 53,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.“ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022” LG refrigerators, washers, dryers, room air conditioners and computer monitors are expected to save more than 482 million pounds of CO2 over the life of these products.
Whirlpool inaugurates the new Europe headquarters
The new headquarters measure 7 thousand square meters and accommodate 400 peopleThe new headquarters of Whirlpool Corporation was inaugurated in Milan on April 20th . At the center of an area in strong development such as the Certosa district, the building (totally Carbon free) is spread over more than 7 thousand square meters, distributed over two floors, for over 400 people and more than 100 different nationalities.The great novelty of the headquarters is represented by the new World of Whirlpool: a real journey through design innovations and latest generation technologies. 500 m2 dedicated to the group’s major European brands and their various narratives, in a journey through the company’s most innovative products.
Japan’s shipments of white goods up 3 pct in FY2022
Local shipments of household electric appliances in Japan rose 3 percent year on year for fiscal year 2022, up for the first time in two years, industry data has shown.
For the fiscal year from April 2022 to March 2023, the shipments totaled nearly 2.59 trillion yen (19.30 billion U.S. dollars), according to the Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association (JEMA).
During the period, shipments of washing machines in the country saw a record high, the association noted.
The growth resulted from rising product prices due to increased raw material and transportation costs, the association said in a report released Thursday.
In March alone, domestic shipments of household appliances climbed 3.6 percent from a year earlier to 251.8 billion yen (1.88 billion U.S. dollars), marking the third successive month of increase, the data showed.
In breakdown, shipments of air conditioners and washing machines reported year-on-year increase in March, while that of refrigerators logged a drop for the second month.
Hisense Prioritises Sustainable Growth to Build a Greener Future
Earth Day’s purpose is to engage people, institutions, and businesses to recognize their responsibility to accelerate the transition to an equitable, prosperous green economy for all. Hisense, a leading global home appliance and consumer electronics brand, has always viewed sustainable business practices as one of its top priorities, and is committed to achieving, and helping bring about lower energy consumption, and environmental sustainability.
The global consumer electronics giant, best known for its TV, Laser TV and white goods, has recently taken an array of steps to reduce its own impact on the planet, ensuring its manufacturing, supply chain and the products it produces are more efficient and sustainable.
With self-developed technologies, like its self-adaptive backlight control algorithm, digitalized power control algorithm, high-voltage LED light and drive technology, Hisense has managed to reduce energy consumption of each TV by 25%. Moreover, in amending the design of its televisions, the company has reduced the amount of plastic that is required to dissipate heat, saving 4,626 tons of plastic per-year, the equivalent of 514million plastic bags.
Hisense’s refrigeration category has solicited praise from the United Nations Development Program for its use of foaming technology to improve the efficiency of its fridges; a development which is believed to have saved nearly 6,000 tons of carbon emissions.
The company is also improving the footprint of its factories, increasing solar power generation in the plants it operates. It expects the total installed capacity to reach 60MW by the end of 2023, and the annual power generation capacity will reach 53 million kWh. The proportion of solar power generation in Hisense’s total electricity consumption is now at more than 10%.
Hisense is also keen to bring about a more sustainable world beyond its own operations, and to mark Earth Day it has launched a new tree planting initiative to promote the importance of safeguarding the environment.
To find out more about Hisense’s commitment to take us Towards a Greener Future, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcqzEepU98g
About Hisense:
Hisense is a leading global home appliance and consumer electronics brand. Hisense’s business covers multimedia products (with a focus on Smart TVs), home appliances, and IT intelligent informatio
Whirlpool Named Among America’s Most Innovative Companies by Fortune
Whirlpool Corporation has been recognised on a roster of 300 innovative American companies by the business magazine Fortune
The US-based appliances maker, Whirlpool, has been included among the country’s 300 most innovative companies, along with the likes of Microsoft and Apple, firms perhaps more well-known for their ground-breaking tech. The companies on the list were chosen based on three qualifying categories: product innovation, process innovation, and innovation culture.
“A spirit of innovation is embedded in our culture and we are proud to be named one of Fortune‘s most innovative companies,” said Marc Bitzer, Chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corp. “With a diverse and growing product portfolio across several trusted US brands, this recognition is a testament to our employees who work tirelessly to create innovative solutions that improve life at home for consumers.”
An innovator for more than 100 years
Founded in 1911, the manufacturer of washers and dryers, refrigerators, air conditioning equipment, cooking appliances and dishwashers has been innovating and bringing new tech to consumers for over 100 years. “From the first electric wringer washer in 1911 to our current line-up of leading-edge home appliances, we are obsessed with developing technology that is purposeful in saving time or eliminating work for consumers,” said Roberto Campos, Senior Vice President of Whirlpool Corp’s Global Product Organisation.
To develop its innovative appliances, Whirlpool looks to its team of engineers and designers. “The best and the brightest engineers and designers, collaborating globally on shared appliance architectures, have been able to unleash innovation in its truest sense and help shape the modern home,” Campos added.
Among the innovations the firm has introduced in recent years are a washing machine able to filter pet hair; a 2 in 1 washer with a removable agitator; a large dishwasher with three-rack capacity, and the air fry functionality it brought to some of its smart ovens operated via an over-the-air update. Continuing on its quest for new cutting-edge functionalities in its appliances range, the company plans to bring Matter support to its smart modelsResponsibility and respect
Beyond its search for novel products with innovative functionalities, Whirlpool continues to look for innovative solutions to accelerate its environmental, social, and governance agenda. A recent example is the firm’s announcement that 29 of its large manufacturing sites around the world have reached Zero Waste to Landfill Gold or Platinum status.
Moreover, the company was recognised by the business magazine earlier this year as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies for the thirteenth consecutive year. The listing comprises the most respected and reputable companies around the world, as ranked by peers within their respective industries.
Goldfish electronics show off at canton exhibition
Goldfish Electronics, a company specializing in the development and production of home appliances, showcased a wide range of products including household wine cabinets, display cabinets, retro refrigerators, and car refrigerators at the Fair. The company’s innovative technological advancements and top-of-the-line products aim to revolutionize the smart home experience for consumers worldwide.
Goldfish Electronics has unveiled a remarkable wine cabinet at the exhibition, which features an innovative air-cooled structure and industry-leading technology. This technology ensures that the humidity and temperature in the cabinet remain within the optimal range for wine storage. Furthermore, the product incorporates effective vibration and noise reduction measures, providing a tranquil and comfortable experience for users.
“Our company has been dedicated to innovative product design and energy conservation in recent years,” said Monty Wang, Sales Director of Glodfish Electronics. The company has successfully launched numerous serialized products that incorporate top technologies.
Elica partnership with Ilve
Elica Spa announced Tuesday that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Ilve that will allow the company to grow in the world of home cooking by also marketing induction ovens and hobs.
Ilve is an Italian company specializing in cooking systems that “has distinguished itself over the years for its vocation for innovation and technical wisdom in steel processing, combined with continuous research in the field of processes and technologies. Together with Ilve, Elica will espouse a philosophy of transition to new markets that will bring both companies and expand their business,” said Elica.
Elica’s stock is up 1.4 percent at EUR2.86 per share
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