Category Archives: Manufacturing

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will introduce high-priced home appliances to woo European consumers at the IFA tech trade show

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Samsung will showcase three home appliances ― Air Dresser steam closet, Jet cordless vacuum and “windless” air purifier Cube ― while LG will introduce a washing machine equipped with artificial intelligence (AI).

Samsung expects the three home appliances will become a hit, given the products have gained popularity in Korea with their innovative features.

“With these three items that have been received well among Korean consumers, Samsung is aiming to expand its market share after showcasing them at the IFA fair,” an official said.

The steam closet will be released in the U.K. first during the October-December period and will hit other European markets in the fourth quarter of 2019.Samsung expects its Air Dresser will become a perfect fit for European consumers because dry cleaning there is quite expensive.

“According to our own survey, European consumers just dry out their garments outside or use fabric deodorizers when they try to deodorize their clothes,” a company spokesperson said. “As they have to pay quite a price for dry cleaning, we expect the Air Dresser will offer them convenience in garment care.”

The Jet cordless vacuum cleaner will be released in the U.K., Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands during the fourth quarter of 2019.

“While the cordless vacuums account for about 80 percent of the entire vacuum cleaner market in Korea, the figure remains at about 40 percent in Europe. We see there will be a huge demand for cordless cleaners,” the spokesperson said.

LG said its front-loading washing machine would be displayed at the IFA exhibition. Featuring AI technology, the product can sense the type of fabrics and offer the optimal washing setting.

“The AI-powered washer can detect the weight of clothes and sense the softness of fabric. After analyzing the information, it offers an optimal washing setting,” an LG official said.

The washer is powered by a direct drive motor directly connected to the drum, reducing energy consumption and noise.

The company says the washing machine can reduce fabric damage by 18 percent compared with other washers.

“According to a recent test conducted by the U.K.-based quality assurance company Intertek, the latest product was found to reduce fabric damage by 18 percent compared to a conventional LG washing machine,” the official said.

The washing machines are sold in eight European countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland and Finland, and LG plans to expand this to 30 nations by the end of 2019.

Siemens Appliances discovers the advantages of a connected world

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As every year, Siemens will present its 2019 news in a unique environment at IFA 2019 (stand 101, hall 1.1). Attendees will find the Asian-style cooking zone in Shanghai, the cold range in Cape Town, dishwasher in Paris, design in New York, coffee in Rio, and washing in Berlin, from September 6 to 11.

The main thread of this trip within the Siemens stand will be as a novelty the integration of different collaborating partners in the Home Connect app to control Siemens appliances.

In this area, the possibility of controlling appliances by voice through the most relevant smart speakers of the current market such as Amazon Echo and Google Assistant will be shown. Monitor the remaining time of the dishwasher program from smart watches like LaMetric or prepare a coffee directly from the Fitbit activity wristband in multimedia projections and daily live demonstrations.

It will also present the new version of the Home Connect app will show all the possibilities offered by Siemens connected kitchens.

The Internet of Things has strongly reached the Premium Siemens washing and drying ranges. Now the new iQ800 washer communicates with the iQ800 dryer thanks to the intelligentDry function.

Siemens appliances are distinguished by their exclusive designs and differentiators. A good example is the new American Black Inox refrigerator with integrated cameras, the EQ.9 coffee maker that incorporates a fully touch TFT display and LED lighting, or the Slim ceiling extractor. In addition, the range of ovens is expanded, which means that Siemens has more and more appliances that connect to the mobile.

Haier Launches Production of the First Chinese Real-time Manufacturing Facility in Europe

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Haier China’s largest consumer electronics and home appliance producer, today announces the launch of production of the Haier Russian Industrial Park and Laundry Appliances Plant in Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia. The new Haier plant, connecting the customer to the factory throughout the manufacturing process, is estimated to be able to produce laundry appliances for up to 200 million users across Russia and other countries in Central Asia and Europe.

Haier Launches Production of the First Chinese Real-time Manufacturing Facility in Europe
Haier Launches Production of the First Chinese Real-time Manufacturing Facility in Europe

“The laundry appliance plant is the first of its kind, as no other Chinese firm has established such a plant in Europe before. We are proud to be the pioneer firm,” Guiwei Sun, General Manager of Russian Laundry Appliance Interconnected Plant, said. “We hope this plant can enhance the supply capacity and meet the increasing demands for laundry appliances in the Russian market.”

Haier to Develop Complete Industry Chain, Aiming to Further Drive Russian Home Appliance Market

Along with the already-existent refrigerator manufacturing plant, the new laundry appliances plant can drive synergistic effects, as Haier is also planning production lines for its other appliances, including air-conditioners and water heaters, in the area. This will eventually culminate in the establishment of an integrated ecological production chain.

“The synergistic effects will benefit not only the local area but also Haier, in that it will reduce cost disadvantages greatly thanks to local production and increased efficiency of distribution,” added Sun.

“Trinity” Localization Model with Focus on Russian Market Requirements and Expectations

The new laundry appliances plant follows Haier’s regional model of international growth. Haier calls this model the “Trinity” localization model of R&D, manufacturing and marketing.

With such a strategy, Haier aims to develop a complete product supply chain when expanding the local market. In this case, Haier has hired local R&D researchers to provide insights of Russian users, including their habits and customs. All these efforts enable Haier to better adapt to the local market and create advantages. Furthermore, the regional economy and employment rate can be boosted with the further development of Haier’s localization.

One of the primary reasons that Haier’s laundry machines are popular amongst Russian users is that Haier can tailor their products to meet the practical needs of local users.

The launch of Haier’s laundry appliances plant in the region also brings confidence to local Haier sales personnel. With the plant, Haier will grow into a long-term, stable strategic partner that local sales personnel can depend on.

In the future, eight Haier manufacturing plants in different categories will be launched in the Russian Industry Park. At that time, this integrated industry park that incorporates home appliance production lines and accommodation, medical, logistics and cultural centers will bring comprehensive benefits to the locals.

Designed using Haier’s innovative 5+7+N concept, the Haier Smart Cloud Solution links seven (7) home solutions in air, water, security, clothes care, entertainment, health and information across five (5) living scenarios — the smart living room, smart kitchen, smart bathroom, smart laundry room and smart bedroom — with customizations based on variable user needs (N) for a comprehensive and intuitive smart home ecosystem.

Miele financial

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Miele Group continues to grow despite a cooling world economy and increased competition. In the 2018/19 financial year which ended on 30 June 2019, the global manufacturer of premium domestic appliances achieved sales of €4.16 bn. This corresponds to a growth in sales of 1.5%. Excluding trade through Miele’s Korean subsidiary Yujin Robot, incorporated for the first time in company accounts, group turnover would have been 0.2% higher than in the previous year.

In its 120th year of existence, Miele successfully staged the biggest product launch in its history, thereby improving the basis for future growth. On balance, employment in Germany stands at 20,221, on a par with the previous year. Investments of €256m were made during the period under review.

In view of the mixed framework conditions currently prevailing, Miele’s executive board sees this moderate growth in company sales as being “a positive and promising sign”. Although current economic risks continue to persist and fundamental changes have been wrought in the competitive landscape, Miele has set itself the target of achieving stronger growth in the current 2019/20 fiscal year and beyond.

In pursuit of this goal, Miele will turn its attention to opening new business fields and developing its internal position in R&D, production, marketing and administration to meet future needs. Considerable additional investments have been earmarked for these and other purposes. The first steps moving forward include an expansion of the Smart Home business unit and the activities of Miele Venture Capital, which takes out stakes in promising startups.

The new washing machine plant belonging to the Miele Group in the Polish town of Ksawero´w is due to come online on schedule at the start of 2020. At the same time, Miele’s production location in Gu¨tersloh will be further strengthened – as the lead plant in the laundry-care sector with its three sites in Gu¨tersloh, Ksawero´w and Unic?ov (Czech Republic).

In the Professional business unit, the Miele Group, including its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco, recorded sales of €621m, up 5.2% compared with the previous year. A division of labour concentrating all business with central sterile supply departments (CSSDs) in hospitals with Steelco has proved valid. In turn, Miele focuses on practices, outpatient surgeries and laboratories. In total, the Miele Group grew above-average in the medical and laboratory fields, despite an investment slowdown in this area. Thanks to a thoroughly redesigned and improved model generation, similar applies to semi-commercial small laundry machines (Little Giants).

New flagship stores – Miele Experience Centres – have opened in Amsterdam, Bilbao, Gdansk, Kiev and Toronto and Miele also added a sales subsidiaries in Brazil and Thailand.

Gorenje create 100 new jobs in the coming weeks to meet higher demand,

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Gorenje, owned by Chinese electronics firm Hisense, will create 100 new jobs in the coming weeks to meet higher demand, the Slovenian appliance maker told Reuters on Friday.

“Demand from all over the world is higher than we expected, especially for washing machines and dryers, so we plan to hire 100 new workers as soon as possible,” spokesman Denis Ostir said.

In April Gorenje said that it would cut some 270 jobs to streamline management and reduce costs after it was taken over by Hisense last year.

Gerhard Dambach to be the new CFO and member of the Board of Management of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH

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Gerhard Dambach, currently CEO of Robert Bosch Italy, will move to BSH as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective September 1, 2019

The 56-year-old holder of a Ph.D. in industrial engineering will succeed Johannes Närger, who retired as of June 30

MUNICH, Germany, Aug. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gerhard Dambach (56) will become the new CFO and Labor Relations Director of Europe’s leading home appliance manufacturer BSH Hausgeräte GmbH. He will be the Board of Management member responsible for finance and the North America region. The holder of a Ph.D. in industrial engineering has worked for the Bosch Group since 1993, holding various positions, including managerial positions, in finance and controlling. In his most recent post, he was the CEO of the Italian Bosch subsidiary with responsibility for the Italy and Greece regions. He is also the current President of the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce.

“Gerhard Dambach has many years of international experience within the Bosch Group and great expertise in finance and human resources. We are therefore very pleased to appoint him to the Board of Management of BSH,” said Prof. Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, Chairman of BSH’s Supervisory Board.

Management, Dambach will be responsible for finance and controlling and will serve as the Group’s Labor Relations Director, beginning on September 1, 2019. His remit will also include the BSH region of North America (United States and Canada). The 56-year-old father completed his study of industrial engineering at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in 1988. After that, he earned a Ph.D. there at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

“Being appointed to the Board of Management of BSH is both a challenge and a motivation for me. I am very much looking forward to the exciting task of helping to guide the destiny of this extraordinary company in a market that is undergoing radical changes,” Dambach said.

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. is proud to announce the rankings and results of J.D. Power’s 2019 Kitchen and Laundry Appliance Satisfaction studies.

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Samsung Electronics America, Inc. is proud to announce the rankings and results of J.D. Power’s 2019 Kitchen and Laundry Appliance Satisfaction studies. As the number one selling brand of major appliances1,Samsung has achieved number one rankings in both Laundry and Kitchen, ranking the highest in five out of nine categories.

Consumer satisfaction was measured on a 1000-point scale and was based on six factors: ease of use, features, performance and reliability, price, styling and appearance, and warranty. Highlights of this year’s study include:

In Front-Load Washers, Samsung ranked number one for the second year in a row out of 5 brands and performed highest in ease of use, performance and reliability, price, styling and appearance and features.

In Top-Load Washers, Samsung ranked number one out of 5 brands and performed highest in performance and reliability, price, ease of use, features, styling and appearance and warranty.

In Clothes Dryers, Samsung ranked number one out of 5 brands and performed highest in performance and reliability, price, ease of use, features, styling and appearance and warranty.

In Freestanding Ranges, Samsung ranked number one out of 6 brands and performed highest in performance and reliability, ease of use, styling and appearance, features and warranty.
In Over-the-Range Microwaves, Samsung ranked number one out of 6 brands and performed highest inperformance and reliability, ease of use, price, styling and appearance and features.
“At Samsung, we are proud to be recognized by J.D. Power’s Appliance Satisfaction studies on such a broad scale,” said John Herrington, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics America.“The J.D. Power results are invigorating and reinforce our commitment to unique design and innovation. As we focus on our 2019 and 2020 line-ups, we are excited to bring more cutting-edge products to the market that inspire consumers and achieve the level of performance our consumers have come to expect.”

About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe.

1 TraQline, Number 1 market share of large U.S. home appliance from 2016 to current (Q1 2019)

Electrolux Q2 Interim Report 2019:

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Highlights of the second quarter of 2019

Net sales amounted to SEK 31,687m (31,354). Sales decline of 2.7%, driven by lower volumes.
Operating income amounted to SEK 1,619m (827), corresponding to a margin of 5.1% (2.6). The comparison period included non-recurring items of SEK -818m.
Price increases fully offset the headwinds from higher raw material costs, trade tariffs and currency as well as lower volumes. Mix improvements mitigated higher investments in marketing and R&D.
Operating cash flow after investments amounted to SEK 384m (1,805).
Income for the period increased to SEK 1,132m (517), and earnings per share was SEK 3.94 (1.80).
The Board has reconfirmed its plan to propose to the shareholders that the Professional Products business area is distributed to the shareholders with the aim to achieve listing on the Nasdaq Stockholm during the first quarter of 2020 or, at the latest, the second quarter of 2020.
President and CEO Jonas Samuelson’s comment

A strong focus on innovation to improve consumer experiences is our guiding compass and a key driver for profitable growth. It is therefore encouraging to see that we once again have a favorable earnings impact from improved mix by selling more high-margin products and we continue to invest in marketing to support the major launches we have this year. Concurrently, price increases continued to offset strong headwinds from higher raw material costs, trade tariffs and currency, and in this quarter also from volume decline. The lower volume was mainly caused by the U.S. private label sales drop. Underlying operating income was in line with last year.

The earnings for our operations in Europe and Professional Products were once again solid and operating income in Latin America increased significantly. In North America, positive price and mix offset higher costs from raw materials and trade tariffs but not fully the volume decline. The business area Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa was impacted by currency headwind and weak sales in Australia.

We re-confirm our market view for 2019 with the exception of Southeast Asia where we now estimate the demand in the region to be slightly positive.

Based on current trade tariff levels, we estimate the negative year-over-year impact from raw materials, trade tariffs and currency to be approximately SEK 1.4-1.6bn in 2019, compared to the previous estimate of approximately SEK 1.7-1.9bn. In the first half of 2019, price has fully offset this headwind and we expect that to be the case also for 2019 as a whole. The uncertainty on trade tariffs continues to impact our visibility.

The preparations for the intended separation and subsequent listing of the Professional Products business area are proceeding according to plan. As the previously announced reasons for the separation are still considered valid the Board has reconfirmed its plan to propose to the shareholders that the Professional Products business area is distributed to the shareholders with the aim to achieve listing on the Nasdaq Stockholm during the first quarter of 2020 or, at the latest, the second quarter of 2020.

Electrolux 100th year is a product launch intensive year and I believe our innovation power will continue to strengthen our competiveness. In addition to significant kitchen range launches in Europe and Asia-Pacific, we have sharpened our offering by being the first to bring Air Fry technology built in to the cooker to the North American market. Looking ahead, I am confident that we are well positioned to create value through our profitable growth strategy.

Franke Group acquired a majority stake in Italian coffee machine manufacturer Dalla Corte

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Swiss Franke Group acquired a majority stake in Italian coffee machine manufacturer Dalla Corte at the end of June.

The Milan-based Dalla Corte produces traditional portafilter espresso machines in the premium segment for private and professional use. The company was founded by the Dalla Corte family in 2001 and is known for its multi-boiler technology – developed and patented in the same year – which Franke calls a benchmark for the semi-automatic espresso machine sector.