Unieuro recovers profitability

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Unieuro closes its third quarter of 2023 demonstrating that it is able to recover profitability even in the face of an uninspiring sales trend. The adjusted Ebit for the autumn was 11 million with an annual growth of 31.5% showing, as a company note, “a significant acceleration compared to previous quarters, thanks to the careful margin management policy and the significant cost rationalization plan aimed at preserving profitability”.

Sales in the third quarter were in fact down 11% compared to the same period of the previous year. The week of Black Friday and the weeks preceding it were down, resulting in a November, they did not “restore the current year trend of the consumer technology market”.

In the first 9 months, revenues and profits slightly decreased
In the first nine months of the 2023/2024 financial year, Unieuro achieved revenues of 1.9 billion euros, with a decrease of 6% compared to the previous financial year (2 billion). In the third quarter of 2023/24 revenues were 727 million, down 7.8% compared to 788.5 million in the previous year

Unieuro S.p.A. is the largest Italian retailer of consumer electronics and household appliances by number of outlets, with a network of 460 stores throughout Italy

Bunzl to buy Nisbets ?

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Distribution giant Bunzl is eyeing up a £450m deal to buy Nisbets in what would be one of the most remarkable catering equipment supply mergers the UK industry has ever seen, If any sort of agreement does materialise it would make Nisbets a bedfellow with one of its longest-running and arguably closest rivals, Lockhart Catering Equipment, which is owned by Bunzl.

Electrolux Group reports loss in the fourth quarter – driven by North America

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Electrolux Group announced today that operating income, excluding non-recurring items, in the fourth quarter of 2023 is estimated to be approx. SEK -0.7bn (-0.6). The underlying loss in business area North America is estimated at approx. SEK -1.4bn (-1.2), driven by intensified price pressure, lower volumes and elevated cost levels related to the cooking manufacturing transition.

Net sales in the fourth quarter for the Group is estimated to be approx. SEK 35.6bn (35.8), an organic decline of about 1%. Operating income for the Group is estimated to approx. SEK -3.2bn (-2.0) and includes non-recurring items of approx. SEK -2.5bn (-1.4). Cash flow generation was strong in the quarter, expected to lead to an operating cash flow after investments for the full year 2023 of approx. SEK 3bn (-6.1).

The main driver behind the loss in North America was intensified price pressure and weak demand during Black Friday, as well as the remainder of the year. Cost discrepancy between production located in North America compared to certain parts of Asia, as previously reported, driven by currency, raw material and inflationary impacts, has resulted in lower market price levels, particularly in refrigeration, which is a key category for business area North America.

As previously communicated, the finalization of the transition of cooking manufacturing in Springfield from the legacy factory, which was closed in the quarter, to the new factory impacted earnings in North America negatively, both in terms of additional costs and impact on product availability. The ramp-up of the new Springfield factory is expected to be finalized in terms of volumes and cost efficiency by the end of 2024.

New external filtration device from Xeros

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Xeros announce the launch of a brand new product, the XF3, our independent and freestanding microfibre filtration device. XF3 enables our patented and market leading microfibre filtration system, XFilter to be housed as a stand-alone solution, compatible with any washing machine model. The XF3 achieves a 99% microplastic capture rate and is designed for upmost consumer ease, requiring no replacement cartridges and has one of the lowest emptying frequencies of all available filters. To make the product even more consumer-friendly, XF3 can be installed at any height enabling its sleek modular design to sit on a countertop or under a sink. It is programmed to automatically start when the washing machine drains and has an alert when it needs emptying, enabling users to simply plug it in and leave it to work with complete peace of mind.

XF3 is available immediately for licensing and branding partners and will be launching to consumers in 2024.

Norske Airthings is launching its first smart air purifier, Renew, at CES 2024.

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According to the company, Renew will help the customer breathe and sleep better by improving the air quality in the room. The air purifier has a four-layer HEPA-13 filter that will remove 99.97 percent of particles, and a carbon filter that stops gas and odors. Airthings says Renew can clean the air in a typical bedroom in ten minutes, and is effective in rooms up to 50 square meters. In silent mode, it emits only 23 decibels, and by lowering the device with Airthing’s app, the user can monitor air quality from anywhere.

CES 2024 Whirlpool unveils the SlimTech Insulation Technology

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Whirlpool Corporation unveils SlimTech, the VIS (vacuum insulated structure) technology for refrigerators. “SlimTech Insulation Technology at CES – the company says – starts with a proprietary, highly porous powder blend. That powder is vacuum-sealed within the door or sides of the refrigerator itself, removing the need for bulky polyurethane foam insulation and reducing the wall thickness by up to 66% – allowing for up to 25% more capacity inside the refrigerator. This technology will make its debut later this year on the doors of select JennAir luxury 30 in. SlimTech Insulation Column refrigerators, and will roll out more broadly in KitchenAid refrigerators in the future, utilizing the technology for the entire structure”. The SlimTech Insulation Technology also unlocks the potential for more discreet refrigeration spaces that could be seamlessly brought to other rooms of the house or be contained within other pieces of furniture. In addition to design and capacity benefits, the material used has the potential to be recycled, reducing the overall environmental impact of refrigerators.

Hisense’s new smart built-in dishwasher

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Hisense launch new dishwasher at CES .The smart built-in dishwasher is equipped with the Autodose & Autodry functions. Users can load the dishes, select a cleaning program, and have detergent automatically added to the dishes in the precise quantity required for each wash. The auto-dosing compartment will store up to a month’s worth of detergent, eliminating the need for daily measuring. The dishwasher’s large capacity and flexible loading options can accommodate up to 15 place settings, allowing consumers to fit more dishes, plates, cups and utensils in a single run. And thanks to Hisense’s own inverter technology, noise level when running is kept to 40 dBA. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, the Autodry function opens the dishwasher door automatically to expel the steam.

RETRA BOARD PROPOSES CLOSURE

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Retra board proposes closure of the trade association – members will vote on next steps.

Retra has announced that its board has taken the decision to close the trade association, but, if a proposal goes ahead, Retra will be absorbed into BIRA (British Independent Retailers Association), which will create a new division dedicated to electrical retailers and repair agents.

The association says that the decision to close Retra, which represents independent electrical retailers, has been made with careful consideration by the board and it is intended that as part of BIRA, Retra will better serve the needs of its members in the ever-changing landscape of the electrical retailing industry.

BIRA is a bigger trade association than Retra and it will continue to provide the current Retra support with some additional enhanced services that are not currently offered. The current cost of BIRA membership is £205 per year, which is around half that of Retra membership. 

If the proposal goes ahead – a vote will be taken by Retra members at an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) on February 1 2024 at 11am to decide the outcome, Retra will pay the BIRA membership cost of the first year for its members, and any monies left in the Retra bank accounts will be returned to paid-up members. 

As part of the process, Retra’s insurance business, Retracare, will be sold. Although nothing has been formally signed, the board is discussing the sale of Retracare to Pacifica Group. Retra intends for the business to continue and Pacifica is committed to enhancing the range of services on offer. 

Commenting on the announcement, Retra CEO, Howard Saycell, said, “This decision has not been taken lightly. Every effort has been made to sustain the membership numbers, but sadly, the decline has continued and has accelerated.

Sharp presents its technologies for Smart Living

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Sharp‘s booth at CES 2024 presents the Smart Living according to the company. Central is the CE-LLM (Communication Edge-LLM) edge AI technology, powering a virtual tour guide capable of engaging visitors with naturally paced and lively interactive conversations. The exhibit highlights a high-speed oven with proprietary Quad Heating technologies. “Combining the industry’s first gold carbon heater for charcoal grill flavor, convection circulation, inverter control microwave, and intelligent cooking control, this high-speed oven helps reduce cooking time to as little as 1/3 of that of a conventional home oven”, the company explains. Sharp is also showcasing powerful hair dryers and upright vacuum cleaners designed to operate at or near 50db, approximately as quiet as a household refrigerator. Moreover, non-contact vital signs sensors and the vital signs sensors for wearable devices are shown.

Dreame launch

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CES 2024: Dreame presents the new line of robot vacuum cleaners

Dreame Technology presents the new line of robot vacuum cleaners at CES 2024. The DreameBot L10s Pro Ultra model is part of Dreame’s line of innovative home appliances which includes: DreameBot Additionally, Dreame also features the Roboticmower A1 and a selection of high-speed hair dryers.

“Dreame understands the evolution of customer needs ,” says Chris Lin , General Manager of Dreame Technology North America, “At CES 2024, we will introduce our latest products that redefine the hands-free experience. Our line of robot vacuum cleaners and other household products will allow our customers to have more free time, offering greater convenience, performance and quality.”

DreameBot L10s Pro Ultra 

The L10s Pro Ultra robot vacuum cleaner features an improved MopExtend™ that reaches tight spaces between furniture and the floor and room edges. Thanks to the Robot Flex arm, it reaches dirt and spills that other vacuum cleaners can’t reach.Furthermore, it is equipped with 7,000Pa Powerful Vormax™ Suction technology which allows you to suck up hair, dirt and dust. Dreame L10s Pro Ultra automatically assesses how dirty a space is and re-cleans areas that need more attention to ensure a flawless finish.

The base station is equipped with two scrapers and an automatic base station cleaning plate that remove dirt while the mop is washed with hot water, ensuring it is clean and ready for the next use. In addition to cleaning its own mop, the DreameBot L10s Pro Ultra dries itself, empties the dust bag and refills with water and cleaning solution while docked at the base station.

Thanks to the combination of artificial intelligence and a 3D light system, it intelligently detects and bypasses the most common obstacles to ensure that nothing is damaged and to avoid interruptions of operations.