Samsung &LG new products

South Korea’s two tech giants — Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. — on Friday said they will release new home appliance products in Europe to boost sales in the region amid the pandemic.

Samsung said it will begin launching a new laundry appliance with upgraded artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and a new refrigerator highlighting customization features in major European markets, such as Britain, France and Germany, late this month.

The WW9800T washer cuts washing time by up to 50 percent and energy usage by 20 percent compared with its previous models, according to Samsung. Its latest washing machine also comes with EcoBubble technology, which maximizes the effectiveness of detergent by turning it into soft bubbles and allows for faster penetration into fabrics, Samsung said.

With its AI Control technology, Samsung said its new washer can automatically suggest the optimal wash cycle.

“AI Control eliminates the need for users to scroll through cycles to find the right one, or to input their individualized settings each time,” it said. “The AI Wash feature uses sensors to detect the laundry load’s weight and soilage, to determine the optimal amount of water and detergent to dispense.”

Samsung’s new RB7300 refrigerator will make its debut in Europe. The bottom-mount freezer (BMF) refrigerator boasts thinner interior walls, offering a larger internal capacity of 385 liters, 18 liters larger than the previous model, the company said.

Samsung’s Bespoke refrigerator range will also make its first appearance for European consumers. The product will be first sold in Nordic countries in October and will be available in other European nations over the next year.

The Bespoke refrigerator is built under the company’s Project Prism, which aims to reflect consumers’ lifestyles and allows them to personalize the materials, colors, shapes and designs of the products. The refrigerator has already been launched in other nations, including South Korea and China.

Samsung said its latest refrigerators and laundry lineup will be further explained at its “Life Unstoppable” virtual event Wednesday. The company will host the online event as a replacement for IFA 2020, Europe’s largest tech expo, which it decided to skip due to the pandemic.

LG said three new refrigerator models highlighting better hygienic and AI features will hit the shelves in Europe. Starting with Sweden next month, the refrigerators will be launched in more than 20 European countries by the first half of the next year, according to the company.

LG said its InstaView Door-in-Door refrigerator with UVnano utilizes ultraviolet LED light technology and can disinfect the water dispenser outlets once every hour to remove up to 99.9 percent of bacteria and germs.

The 569-liter refrigerator is also equipped with advanced technologies that can minimize temperature fluctuations and make entire fridge space cooler by distributing airflow from strategically placed vents, LG said. Its ice maker located in the freezer drawer can produce two-inch spherical ice balls.

LG’s updated Fridge and Freezer pair is comprised of a 386-liter fridge and a 324-liter freezer. They can be purchased separately, but consumers can buy both of them and connect them to look like a single refrigerator.

“They are designed to fit easily into standard kitchen cabinetry for a clean, minimalist look,” LG said. “Their flat door design and zero-clearance hinges are ideal for installing right next to a wall for a seamless, built-in appearance.”

Its latest InstaView ThinQ refrigerator boasts a consumer-centric AI platform, LG said.

Any food item placed inside or removed from the refrigerator is automatically tracked via its advanced vision recognition technology, LG said. The company’s AI technology also allows the refrigerator to offer meal suggestions after analyzing food items in the fridge and even inform other home appliances what to do.

“It can set a connected oven to the right cooking temperature based on the recipe and even choose the optimal wash cycle for the dishwasher based on the meal,” LG said.

Samsung and Hanssem

Samsung Electronics Co. on Sunday signed a partnership agreement with South Korea’s leading furniture maker Hanssem Co. to expand business opportunities amid the pandemic-driven stay-at-home trend.

Under the deal, Samsung will cooperate with Hanssem in the home interior remodeling business. The tech giant will provide its latest home appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers that fit with Hanssem’s furniture in interior remodeling.

The two sides will also collaborate in the smart home solutions business and will share retail infrastructure, such as displaying products from each company at its stores.

The latest deal comes as Samsung seeks to become a lifestyle brand with customizable products amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee Jae-seung, who heads digital appliances at Samsung, recently said the company is “recalibrating” its strategy in the era of the pandemic. He added that home has become more important than ever as people practice social distancing and that home appliances need to reflect the change.

The collaboration with Hanssem is expected to help Samsung launch more products under its Project Prism, which reflects consumers’ lifestyles and allows them to personalize the materials, colors, shapes and designs of products.

So far, the company has introduced refrigerators and laundry appliances under Project Prism.

Midea net profit down 8.3 pct in H1

Midea Group, a leading Chinese home appliance manufacturer, reported declines in both revenue and net profit in the first half of 2020 (H1) as the COVID-19 epidemic hit its business.

Net profit attributable to its shareholders totaled 13.9 billion yuan (about 2 billion U.S. dollars) in the January-June period, down 8.29 percent year on year, Midea said in its interim financial report filed with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

During the six months, the company generated total revenue of 139.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.47 percent, according to the interim report.

Haier will relocate the production of Rosières ovens to Romania,

Haier, the largest household appliances producer in China and one of the largest in the world, will relocate the production of Rosières ovens to Romania,Haier Europe said “the intention to cease ovens’ manufacturing activities in Lunery (France) does not have any impact nor include any activity in Romania where Haier has started an investment of more than 50 million for a refrigerator production facility.”

This new production line will add to the refrigerator factory Haier is building in Romania.

Haier took the Rosières brand as part of the Italian group Candy last year. The Chinese group wants to close the factory in France, arguing that sales fell by 40% between 2016 and 2019, and the cost of assembly is too high – while the cost of labor in Romania is more attractive.

The factory in France employs 72 people. The first layoffs are expected early next year.

The relocation of production to Romania has generated protests in France, with about 500 people protesting in the neighboring town of Saint-Florent-sur-Cher, especially since, in addition to Rosières, lighting manufacturer Comatelec Schréder will move production to Spain.

Chinese group Haier announced earlier this year that it is building a refrigerator factory in Romania, on an area of 10 hectares in an industrial park in Prahova county (north of Bucharest).

The investment is estimated at some EUR 50 million and will create about 700 new jobs. The plant should be completed by early next year at the latest.

LG to stay number one

LG Electronics is relied upon to hold the No. 1 spot in the worldwide home apparatus showcase for the second successive quarter, flaunting its strong grasp in the division in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the business, LG Electronics second quarter income in the home apparatus area is anticipated to record between 5.2 trillion won to 5.3 trillion won. This is around 300 billion won more than the past pioneer, Whirlpool.

The U.S. home machine monster said it recorded 4.93 billion won deals in the subsequent quarter, down 22 percent contrasted with a similar period a year ago. Regardless of the decay, its presentation is better than many expected after the COVID-19 pandemic constrained the shutdown of gadgets retailers, for example, Best Buy in the United States.

LG is relied upon to beat Whirlpool for the second continuous quarter subsequent to outperforming it in the principal quarter by 255.7 billion won on income of 5.41 trillion won.

The underlying standpoint for LG Electronics’ Q2 execution was negative because of the pandemic; yet changed with the resumption of tasks at significant retail locations in the U.S. what’s more, Europe.

In the household showcase, LG gained by its recently discharged top of the line apparatuses including garments dryers, dishwashers and its steam attire care framework, “Styler.” Starting June, benefit rose with an expansion in deals of forced air systems.

Whirlpool just earned 94 billion won in working benefit among April and June, a sizeable drop contrasted with a similar period a year ago when it recorded 222.8 billion won.

Electrolux recorded lost 7.8 billion won in the subsequent quarter.

KB Securities gauges the Korean firm to record up to 650 billion won in benefit for the subsequent quarter.

In contrast to Whirlpool, whose working benefit fell 6 percent in the principal quarter and 1.9 percent in the second, LG Electronics is relied upon to save its benefit stable for a similar period.

Samsung Electronics is likewise expected to do well in the home apparatus area.

Hana Financial Investment predicts Samsung’s deals in the home and clinical apparatuses segment to arrive at 4.7 trillion won in the subsequent quarter, up 50 billion won from the first.

Samsung’s working benefit is required to bounce from 88 billion won to 293 billion prevailed upon a similar period.

Electrolux Pro slumps to loss amid pandemic, to cut more costs

Electrolux Professional

The commercial kitchen and laundry equipment maker said in a statement it would carry out additional cost cuts during the second half the year, aiming for total annual savings of 100-150 million Swedish crowns.

Electrolux Pro was hit hard early in the quarter as the novel coronavirus spread across Europe, but it said sales had recovered somewhat in June. On a like-for-like basis, sales fell 20% in June after a decline of 50% in April and May.

“Sales in the beginning of July are in line with the percentage decline registered in June. We interpret this as a sign of recovery,” CEO Alberto Zanata said.

Making its stock market debut at the most challenging of times in March, with equity prices plumbing the depths due to the raging pandemic, Electrolux Pro shares have doubled in value in recent months.

The impact of the pandemic and the widespread lockdowns to contain it has severely hit the hospitality industry, including hotels and restaurants, which accounts for about half of Electrolux Pro’s group sales.

The company ran a second-quarter operating loss of 18 million Swedish crowns (1.60 million pounds) versus a 401 million profit a year ago.

Sales at the company, which was listed after being spun off from home appliance maker Electrolux

Samsung may acquire the appliances unit of Philips

Samsung may acquire the Philips’ appliances unit soon. The same possibility is also applicable to the other South Korean Giant LG. Both these Korean brands may come up with their small home electronics product offerings. Though there is no official confirmation from their side.

The Dutch company, Philips already announced its plan to sell its domestic appliances business in 2021, and as per a report of Pulse, Samsung might be planning to take that division. The uncertainty is also there because Samsung generally focuses on high-end products and white goods.

Philips is actually trying to focus on the healthcare sector. As a result, it is on the way to sell the audio and video business as well as the lighting department.

Philips Business chart_TechnoSports.co.in
by Pulse

Same as Samsung, there is also a high possibility for LG, as I told earlier. We all know that Samsung is currently selling refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, and some other under its home appliances section. If it acquires the Philips’ part, then it can reach to the small home electronics products as well.

At present, Philips has its research and development centers in India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Italy having around 4,700 employees. Other than that, there are factories in Austria, Brazil, and China.