Category Archives: Manufacturing

Korean Companies Halt Production Lines in India Due to Coronavirus

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Korean companies operating in India have stopped their local production lines in line with the Indian government’s efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Abiding by the Indian government’s decision, we will halt the operation of Noida Plant which produces smartphones and Chennai Plant that produces home appliances until the end of this month,” Samsung Electronics said on March 23.

The Indian government issued an emergency administrative order to temporarily suspend the operations of all business sites in Chennai except essential places such as hospitals and public offices. The deadline is the end of this month. However, the order may be extended pending the proliferation of the COVIOD-19 virus.

Samsung Electronics has steadily expanded Noida Plant, saying it will increase the annual smartphone production at the plant to 120 million units in 2020. Industry watchers expect that the plant shutdown will disrupt production of Samsung’s budget smartphones targeting India, including the “Galaxy M.”

LG Electronics will also stop operating production plants in Noida and Pune until the end of March. These plants produce home appliances such as washing machines. The plant in Pune also produces some smartphones.

Consumer electronics companies such as Samsung and LG have also hit a snag in overseas sales. “We will temporarily stop sales in stores for the safety of our customers and employees,” announced Best Buy, which operates more than 1,000 consumer electronics stores throughout the United States, on its website on March 23. “Instead, we have introduced a door-to-door delivery service for customers in an untact manner.” Best Buy does not provide installation services for large TVs and refrigerators by professional technicians due to virus infection concerns, which will hinder its normal sales activities.

Europe’s largest consumer electronics store, MediaMarkt, has also shuttered more than 850 stores in major countries since the middle of March. “In North America and Europe, not many customers use installation services for large home appliance unlike Korea, but if offline stores are closed, there will deal a blow to promotions of large home appliances and new products,” said an official at a household appliance company

Hyundai Motor also stopped operating the first and second factories in Chennai on the day. Hyundai’s Chennai plant produces 680,000 units of the Crete, the Santa Fe, the Eon, and the i20 annually. Kia Motors is also considering discontinuing production at its plant in Andhra Pradesh, India. Andhra Pradesh is not included in the Indian government’s business suspension, but Kia Motors is responding by reviewing a shutdown of the plant as it may be designated later depending on the spread of the novel coronavirus in the future.

The shutdown order sounded the alarm for POSCO. “We are placing in place a remotely working system and cooperating closely with the government of India,” said POSCO which decided to stop a processing center in Delhi and a processing center in Pune by the end of this month. Hyundai Steel’s coil mill and steel pipe manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu, India, will also put production on hold during the same period

BSH Group temporarily suspends the production of several factories in the face of falling demand

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BSH, the consequences of coronavirus spread also are impacting. the corporate is experiencing a big drop by demand, affecting most product categories and markets. during this context, the BSH Group’s Board of Directors has decided to suspend production for an expected period of three weeks. Thus, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH will temporarily suspend its production operations in its factories in Europe, Turkey and North America. the corporate still has the power to deliver products to consumers.

Disruption of production at factories in Europe will begin on March 28, 2020. this might even have an impression on employees who aren’t directly linked to production or other functions and locations.

This measure is being coordinated and implemented with the respective workers’ representatives counting on the country and site and in accordance with the present legal framework. BSH will still implement appropriate measures to make sure the simplest protection for all employees against the danger of infection by the coronavirus.

The company will inform customers, suppliers and other companies about the planned procedures.

BSH will employ this temporary suspension of production, to be prepared to satisfy the demand of its clients on time and within the absolute best way when the markets recover

Chinese Factories Face New Threat: US Anti-Virus Controls

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Factories in China, struggling to reopen after the coronavirus shut down the economy, face a new threat from U.S. anti-disease controls that might disrupt the flow of microchips and other components they need.

The shock threatens to set back the ruling Communist Party’s efforts to revive the world’s second-largest economy after it declared victory over the outbreak. It would add to pressures on global business activity as Western countries close workplaces, limit travel and tell consumers to stay home.

Chinese manufacturers assemble more than 80% of smartphones for Apple, Samsung and other brands, half of the world’s personal computers and a big share of home appliances.

China’s Hisense to close its European factories over coronavirus

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Chinese home appliances maker Hisense (will close all its European factories from March 23 to April 4 in response to the coronavirus outbreaks in Europe, Slovenia-based Hisense Gorenje said on Friday.
6thIt said the company has sufficient materials to continue production but has decided to stop it to help reduce the spread of the virus and protect the health of its employees.The company has factories in Slovenia, Serbia and the Czech Republic producing washing machines, dryers and cookers.Hisense Gorenje is among the five largest exporters in Slovenia. The country, which borders Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, has so far confirmed 341 coronavirus cases, and one death.

Electrolux adapts manufacturing to offset difficulties with supply

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Electrolux believes there is a considerable risk of a material financial impact during the first half of 2020.
In the fourth quarter interim report 2019, published on January 31, 2020, the company said that an extended period of supply chain disruptions in China related to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) could potentially have a material financial impact on Electrolux.

Now, given the rapid spread of the virus, impacting markets where Electrolux has a significant presence in terms of production and sales, the company believes the risks related to this have increased materially. These risks include supply chain disruptions, government countermeasures and changing consumer behavior. It is currently not possible to predict the duration or scope of the crisis, and therefore the full potential impact.

“We’re stepping up our efforts to encourage more employees to work remotely and we’re reshaping the way we work at manufacturing sites in highly impacted areas to ensure the health and safety of our people. At the same time, we of course want to safeguard the needs of our consumers and trade partners,” says Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO of Electrolux, in a press release.

The initial outbreak in China, where Electrolux sources significant volumes of finished products and components for all its business areas, has caused delays in deliveries, higher logistics costs and somewhat lower demand in East Asia in the first quarter 2020. However, the company says that it has worked to mitigate the impact and the situation among Chinese suppliers is now steadily improving. Based on these developments, Electrolux does not currently expect material effects from this alone going forward.

The coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy is also impacting the Electrolux Group. Electrolux consumer business has five manufacturing sites in Italy, accounting for around one quarter of its European production volume and approximately 10% of global volumes. Furthermore, Electrolux purchases components for sites across Europe, but also other parts of the world from suppliers in northern Italy. This of course translates to that there may be supply chain disturbances because of temporarily reduced industrial activity in the region.

Electrolux says that it from the very beginning took extensive measures in Italy to ensure the health and safety of its employees, and the spread of the coronavirus has not yet caused major disruptions to its operations in the country. The situation is however developing rapidly, and the company has now implemented additional measures to adapt manufacturing in Italy to a reduced production pace.

The reduced pace will also adapt the output of products to be more in line with expected sales volumes in the near future.

Electrolux operations in France has also been hit heavily by the pandemic. Since March 15, 2020, for example, French authorities have increased their countermeasures, and Electrolux Professional has started to experience difficulties in receiving components to, as well as in the outbound flow of products, its manufacturing units in France. As a response to this the company is implementing additional measures to adapt manufacturing at the affected sites to reduce production, including temporary closures.

Miele increases turnover by 3.2%

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After realignment of its business year, Miele reports sales of € 2.24 bn for July to December 2019 stub business year

New subsidiaries launch with smart business models

In the second half of 2019, the Miele Group achieved a turnover of € 2.24 bn – 3.2% more than in the previous year. ‘This is once again evidence that we are well positioned with our products and services to increase turnover and gain market shares under challenging conditions and intense competition in the marketplace’, according to the Executive Board of the world’s leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances. During the current year, this course for growth will be further consolidated – for example with kitchen appliances from the new Generation 7000 series, which will set standards in the market with numerous exclusive innovations. On December 31, 2019, Miele employed a workforce worldwide of 20,478 – more than ever before.

This publication of half-time figures is due to the fact that the Miele Group has changed its business year to coincide with the calendar year (instead of running from July 1 to June 30). This results in a one-off stub year. In particular, large European markets such as Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy and, after a long Brexit-related dry spell, Great Britain, contributed to this positive development. In the highly contested German market, Miele achieved turnover growth of 2.7%. In contrast, business in Hong Kong is suffering from political unrest. In China, state intervention has resulted in a subdued real estate market – also impacting business with high-quality kitchen equipment.

Amongst the product groups, above all washing machines, tumble dryers and vacuum cleaners contributed most to sales growth. In laundry care, numerous detail improvements ensure increased user convenience: These include shorter programme cycles, the ability to add forgotten items of laundry at any time throughout the cycle and even the energy-efficient washing of individual garments. In the booming sector of rechargeable handsticks, the Triflex HX1 has got off to a very successful market start. Across all product groups, campaign models marking 120 years of Miele (Series 120) resulted in significant additional impetus. With its built-in appliances from the new Generation 7000, Miele is reasserting its leading role in the fields of innovation, design and lifestyle pleasures in the kitchen. With 3,000 model versions spanning 15 product groups worldwide, now off to a very promising start in almost all countries, this amounts to the biggest product launch in the history of the company.

Above-average growth during the reporting period was recorded by Miele Professional with machines and services for commercial operations, medical facilities and laboratories, and its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. Steelco is in charge of the aspiring hospital project business within the Miele Group. Compact commercial washing machines and dryers for small businesses (Little Giants), which have been on the market since last year with a completely new model series, represent a further growth driver. In total, Professional turnover grew by more than 4%.

New impetus for growth and innovation

In order to exploit further sustainable growth potential, Miele has, as reported last October, undergone reorganisation – for example with 8 independent business units, remapped sales territories and a new location devoted to digital marketing which is currently being set up in Amsterdam (Digital Hub). The new production plant for washing machines, built by Miele in the Polish town of Ksawerów, has commenced operations on schedule. Miele Venture Capital GmbH, which brings together Miele’s stakes in promising start-ups, has further expanded its activities.

During the period under review alone, two new 100% subsidiaries were added to the portfolio: With the takeover of the business operations of Agrilution GmbH, Miele entered the future field of vertical farming – with stacked and digitally connected Plantcubes sporting an elegant design for private homes. With a minimum of effort, these offer the ideal growing conditions for, say, greens and herbs. Miele Operations & Payment Solutions GmbH offers a unique, app-based solution covering the furbishing, organisation, servicing and billing in shared laundry facilities (appWash). This can even go as far as assuming responsibility for the entire operation. This is aimed for example at student hostels, housing associations, multi-unit dwellings, campsites and launderettes. With these and other activities, Miele is pursuing its strategic goal of continuing to expand its portfolio and grow with innovative products and digital services which meaningfully complement its core business.

As per December 31, the Miele Group had 20,478 employees on its payroll. This amounted to 163 employees, or 0.8%, more than in the previous year. In Germany, Miele employs a workforce of 11,061, down 209 on the previous year.

Hisense efficiency

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Hisense wants to showcase its most advanced and efficient household products, with the intention of respecting the environment. Therefore, it combines the best design, the latest innovation and the greatest efficiency to bring the latest advances to the users and favor the saving of energy consumption.

The company reinvests a significant amount of annual revenue in its 12 R&D centers around the world for the development of more efficient products and capable of leading an increasingly sustainable path. In addition, the company implements in its facilities recycling systems that contribute to the improvement of its profitability and allow the reuse of materials to reduce the environmental impact.

Among Hisense’s contributions to greater energy efficiency, the firm recommends regulating the temperature properly both at home and in the workplace. In this sense, determining the ideal temperature is easier thanks to the integration of wi-fi in models such as Brissa CA70BT01 . It is also important that they work with R-32, a pure refrigerant gas that has a low Atmospheric Heating Potential.

Hisense appliances, such as the WFGS1016VM A +++ washing machine (-20%) or the HS6130W Dishwasher , are committed to an A +++ rating. And the Inverter technology of products such as Brissa CA50XS01 can save energy and extend the life of appliances.

A connected home is a more responsible home, so the new Hisense appliances have ConnectLife, an application capable of offering reminders for the maintenance of registered devices, advice on food preparation and other useful household tricks. In addition, it integrates services and products offered by external partners, such as Alexa, Google or Siri.

Finally, it is essential to avoid bad habits of using appliances. For example, introducing hot foods into the refrigerator means 5% more energy consumption for each degree you need to cool. When cooking, the heat of food must be maintained at all times. A good example is the new Hisense induction hob, such as I6456C . Thanks to the programs it incorporates, you can keep the residual heat and keep the dishes warm and combine different cooking zones to create a single large cooking area.

Haier Reopens Domestic Factories and Resumes Production at Full speed

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Following the strict measures put in place for the control and prevention of Covid-19, Haier Smart Home Co the world’s leading home appliance producer, has announced that all domestic factories in China have returned to full capacity as of February 25. The announcement comes after Haier’s continued efforts to maintain its global capacity, which saw the producer achieve an overall guarantee rate of over 90% on overseas orders during the outbreak.Haier Smart Home Reopens Domestic Factories and Resumes Production at Full speed.
Haier Smart Home Reopens Domestic Factories and Resumes Production at Full speed.
Despite limited capacity brought on by Covid-19, Haier maintained normal production levels as a result of its strong global supply chain and rapid response to the epidemic. With a complete international operation and supplier system, as well as supplier resources spanning the Americas, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Europe, Haier fulfilled 99.8% of orders throughout February 2020, with 60% of products manufactured in local factories overseas. Meanwhile, Haier’s logistics team closely monitored changes in global ports and shipping policy alerts and adjusted its resources and logistics plans accordingly to ensure the timely shipment of all orders.Since February 17, all of Haier’s domestic factories – except three in Wuhan – have resumed production with additional strict measures to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic, on top of those recommended by the Chinese government. 10 Haier industrial parks have been recognized by the local government and seven have been highlighted by Chinese media as leading examples for their epidemic protection and prevention work. As of February 25, the three Wuhan factories have also reopened with similar measures in place to keep workers safe.In addition to reopening factories, Haier’s key domestic suppliers are gradually resuming normal business operations. To date, more than 90% of suppliers have reopened their doors with an 80% work resumption rate and a 95% guarantee rate. The guarantee rate is expected to reach 100% by the end of February.Further to its global supply chain, Haier was able to lessen the impact of Covid-19 due to its early adoption of intelligent manufacturing. Across its 122 factories, Haier has integrated a variety of automated production processes including automatic boxing and bagging, refrigerator wrapping and gluing, as well as product-specific processes for washing appliances and air conditioners.Haier Smart Home’s five sectors have also introduced 108 flexible production lines using integrated automation solutions and applied intelligent technologies such as AI, big data analysis, 5G and AR to help conduct a range of factory tasks, including visual product inspections for refrigerators, measuring the noise of washing machines, detecting unusual sounds in air conditioners, AR-assisted remote equipment maintenance and more. These intelligent manufacturing processes and technologies enabled Haier to continue normal production and logistics during the outbreak, as well as improving overall line efficiency and reducing staff turnover.

Taurus expansion

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Grupo Taurus, a leading Spanish company in the small appliance sector with more than 200 million turnover, announces the acquisition of the renowned French company Supra. The operation is another step of the Taurus group in its expansion and growth plan in Europe, also reflected in the acquisition of the license rights of the Black + DeckerTM brand in 2018.

Supra, with almost 150 years of history, is a benchmark in innovation and sustainability and a precursor to Insert technology internationally. Its product range covers the entire range of heating, both portable electros as stoves and insert fireplaces. The brand is an expert in pellet-based combustion stoves (Biomass), an ecological solution for thermal air conditioning needs. The main brands of the group are Supra and Richard Le Droff, premium brand specialized in chimneys and Inserts.

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With this acquisition, the Taurus group meets a triple objective:

On the one hand, it strengthens and grows its position in the French market, where it already participates with its subsidiary White & Brown, which markets its wide range of small appliance products: Taurus, Solac and especially the Taurus-Alpatec brand, highlighted in the sector of portable air conditioning.

In addition, the operation is a firm commitment of the group to consolidate in the renewable and sustainable energy sector, since Biomass and Insert heating combustion is an efficient and highly ecological option.

Finally, the acquisition of Supra is also a strong commitment to European manufacturing “made in France”. From its headquarters in Obernai (Alsace), most of its stoves and fireplaces are designed and manufactured and it also has an important R&D center that, in addition to those already existing in Spain and in other Group subsidiaries, They will bring great innovations and sustainable solutions to the entire product range.

In its constant commitment to strengthen its European presence, the Taurus group adds the Supra company to the list of its subsidiaries in France, Portugal and Italy, and soon in Germany. This together with the subsidiaries of the group that are located in Mexico, South Africa, Morocco, India, China and Peru, makes it have an international presence and be a worldwide reference in the small appliance sector.

Tecnoinox obtained the SASO Quality Mark

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Italian company Tecnoinox, that since 1984 has been designing and manufacturing equipment for the professional kitchen is the first Italian manufacturer in its sector to obtain the Quality Mark certification by SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization , government certification body of Saudi Arabia). Thanks to this certification the company’s models can enter to the Saudi Arabia, enforcing its presence and dedication in the Middle Eastern market. All the over 200 products selected from the Tecnoinox catalog and subjected to analysis have been approved. «During 2019 – Riccardo Giacomini, Tecnoinox Technical Director said – the government technical body of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom, SASO, introduced the Quality Mark certification obligation to regulate the entry of gas equipment into the country. It was a complex, extremely rigorous certification process that Tecnoinox has fully passed, standing out first in the national panorama for quality and ability to respond to the needs of markets that are changing and evolving.»
Martina Giacomini, Commercial Director of Tecnoinox, also expresses her satisfaction: «we are already present in many markets in the Middle East and it is strategic for us to complete consolidate the commercial relationships in Saudi Arabia. The high quality of the processes, products and staff has allowed Tecnoinox to obtain certification before any other Italian manufacturer and therefore, from today, is the only Italian manufacturer of professional gas cooking equipment authorized to export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.»
The new version of Erika by ARAN Cucine will be displayed at EuroCucina 2020
The Erika kitchen, a best seller of ARAN Cucine, has been restyled for the next edition of EuroCucina. The brand has followed the the latest furnishing trends, that suggest functional and versatile solutions, clean and reassuring lines, neutral and elegant colors. To meet all tastes and respond to different market needs, ARAN Cucine offers customizable models, capable of adapting to any living context. Erika catalog, in fact, is enriched with new elements, transforming the model into a real ‘furniture system’, with modular solutions and over 41 finishes.
A composition designed to facilitate the movements of those who live it and ensure maximum space optimization without sacrificing design, provides a large multipurpose island, columns and shoulder system. To create a game of full and empty volumes, the large and capacious storage elements alternate with open, decorative and immediately accessible modules. The Jhon doors in black aluminum with gray smoked glass visually lighten the structure of the island block, equipped with the new Move-it snack: a mobile top that slides along the diagonal and that can be a dining table and then be brought back flush with the island, limiting its size.
But the big news is the introduction of elements with soft and circular lines. The more sinuous version of Erika is in fact characterized by creative and ergonomic solutions: the rigorous design of the columns – with the new vertical handle – and the wall units combined with the Fill bookcase harmonize with the curved peninsula.