European heatwave triggers rush for China–Europe AC shipments
Record temperatures across Europe have emptied warehouse shelves, pushing major Chinese brands to divert thousands of air‑conditioners onto faster China–Europe rail routes. With heatwaves topping 40°C and sea freight slowed by Middle East disruptions, manufacturers are switching to rail to cut delivery times from 40 days to about 15.
China Railway Express is now running packed trains into Central and Western Europe as retailers scramble to restock before the next surge in demand.
Desmon appoints Kirstie Lassallette-Desnault
Kirstie Lassallette-Desnault has joined Desmon, the commercial refrigeration brand and part of the Middleby Corporation, as its new Senior Vice President of Sales. The appointment comes at a defining moment for Desmon, with Kirstie tasked with building a high performing commercial department and setting the business on a sustained path of global growth.
China’s Small Appliance Makers Face Broad H1 Profit Declines in 2026
China’s small home appliance sector has entered mid‑2026 under clear pressure, with five major listed manufacturers — Supor, Xinbao, Biyi Electric, Aishida and Bear Electric — all reporting year‑on‑year declines in revenue and profit for the first half of the year. The cluster of results, released in mid‑to‑late July, highlights a sector grappling with weak demand, intense price competition and margin compression across core categories.
Supor: Revenue Flat, Profit Under Pressure
Supor posted revenue of 11.41 billion yuan, down 0.59% year‑on‑year. Net profit fell more sharply, dropping 7.70% to 868 million yuan.
The company continues to face a squeeze between softer domestic demand and rising promotional intensity in cookware, kitchen appliances and small domestic electricals.
Xinbao: Profit Plunge Exceeds 70%
Xinbao’s forecast points to one of the steepest declines among the group.
Net profit is expected to land between 125–155 million yuan, representing a year‑on‑year fall of more than 70%.
Export‑oriented categories remain challenged by global inventory digestion and slower overseas replenishment cycles.
Biyi Electric: Swinging to Loss
Biyi Electric expects net profit attributable to the parent to fall between –31.7 million and –35.7 million yuan, marking a loss versus the same period last year.
The company has been hit by weaker volumes in entry‑level appliances and sustained price pressure in online channels.
Aishida: Significant H1 Loss
Aishida anticipates a net loss of 77.9–111 million yuan for the first half of 2026.
The business continues to navigate restructuring costs and a slow recovery in its core product lines.
Bear Electric: Revenue and Profit Down
Bear Electric’s performance forecast shows:
Revenue down 6.14% year‑on‑year in Q1
– Net profit down 38.67% year‑on‑year
With competitive intensity rising further in Q2 — particularly in lifestyle appliances and novelty categories — Bear’s overall H1 profit scale has declined compared with last year.
Sector View: Competition Tightens as Demand Softens
The synchronised downturn across five brands underscores a broader trend: China’s small appliance market is in a cooling phase, marked by:
– High promotional pressure in e‑commerce channels
– Slower replacement cycles among younger consumers
– Fragmented category innovation, making differentiation harder
– Export headwinds as overseas retailers continue to destock
Manufacturers are expected to respond with tighter cost control, selective premiumisation, and more disciplined product planning in the second half of the year.
LG targets growth with end-to-end commercial laundry strategy
LG Electronics is expanding its commercial laundry business beyond appliances by positioning itself as a provider of complete business solutions.
The company says its strategy combines high-performance laundry equipment with AI, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance and connected management platforms to help commercial customers improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Targeting sectors including hospitality, healthcare and multi-housing, LG aims to build long-term customer partnerships through integrated services rather than standalone product sales.
The move forms part of LG’s wider ambition to become a “Smart Life Solution Company”, with B2B solutions playing an increasingly important role in its global growth strategy.
Hobart Expands Centerline™ Range with New HMM30 30-Quart Commercial Mixer
Hobart Food Equipment has expanded its commercial preparation line-up with the Centerline™ HMM30 mixer—a 30-quart solution engineered for high-demand professional kitchens needing mid-to-large capacity without compromising on reliability or value.
Positioned above the established HMM10 (10-quart) and HMM20 (20-quart) models, the HMM30 bridges the gap for bakeries, pizzerias, and commercial kitchens requiring larger batch outputs.
Components & Technologies Hidden Inside Today’s Faber Cooker Hoods
Faber has spent more than 70 years refining the “invisible” engineering that sits behind its cooker hoods — the parts you never see, but that define extraction performance, noise levels, energy use and long‑term reliability. From brushless motors to advanced filtration and fluid‑dynamic noise control, the brand’s latest-generation models show how much innovation now sits inside the modern hood🔧 Brushless Motor Technology
Traditional brushed motors rely on physical contact between components, creating friction, wear and noise. Faber’s brushless motor eliminates this contact entirely, using a rotating magnetic field to control speed with precision. The result is:
– Higher energy efficiency
– Lower consumption
– Longer product life
– Stable performance even at maximum extraction
In the Heaven Light PRO ceiling‑mounted hood, the brushless motor delivers up to 700 m³/h in Boost mode while maintaining low energy use and improved acoustic comfort.
🌀 High Filtering Hood (HFH) System
Faber’s HFH system is one of the most advanced filtration solutions on the market. Instead of a flat charcoal filter, HFH uses a cylindrical filter with a larger surface area, increasing contact between air and activated carbon.
Inside the cylinder, two ultra‑filtering panels work together:
– The first captures larger particles
– The second traps finer ones
This dual‑stage system removes up to 95% of odours, significantly improving indoor air quality. The cylindrical design also reduces noise by around 3 dB(A) compared with traditional charcoal filters.
The Stilo Comfort hood can be equipped with HFH and also includes Intensive Speed, LED lighting and dishwasher‑safe grease filters.
🔇 Fluid Dynamics & Sound PRO
Quiet operation is now a core performance metric for premium hoods. Faber’s Sound PRO technology optimises internal airflow to reduce turbulence and vortices — the main causes of noise.
A specially designed diffuser:
– Cuts noise by up to 6 dB(A) at maximum power
– Improves the quality of the sound, not just the volume
This technology appears across multiple Faber models, helping maintain acoustic comfort without sacrificing extraction performance.
🏠 Why These “Hidden” Technologies Matter
These internal components aren’t visible from the outside, but they define how a hood performs day‑to‑day:
– Cleaner air thanks to more efficient filtration
– Lower running costs through energy‑efficient motors
– Longer lifespan with reduced mechanical wear
– Quieter kitchens through advanced airflow engineering
Faber’s heritage dates back to 1955, when it invented the first modern cooker hood. Today, the brand continues to evolve that legacy with technologies designed to improve real‑world comfort and indoor air quality
Beko Publishes Its 2025 Integrated Report: Sustainability Results Take Centre Stage
Beko has released its Integrated Report 2025, a nearly 300‑page deep dive into the company’s economic performance and sustainability progress — reaffirming that environmental responsibility remains “part of the core business of Beko”, as CEO Can Dinçer states. The brand’s continued recognition, including its top ranking in TIME’s global sustainability list, underscores its leadership position in the appliance sector.
Energy Efficiency Milestones
Across its production sites, Beko achieved 69,562 GJ of energy savings in 2025, preventing 5,297 tonnes of CO₂‑equivalent emissions. Renewable energy capacity also increased from 90.2 MWp to 96 MWp, with 63.5% of total electricity consumption now sourced from renewables.
Near‑Total Waste Recycling
Beko’s recycling rate reached 98.6%, edging close to its 99% target. The company continues to scale circular‑economy initiatives, including multi‑site recycling centres expected to return 148,000 appliances to market.
Since 2014, Beko has processed 1.98 million tonnes of WEEE and incorporated 31,665 tonnes of recycled plastic into new products — a significant contribution to reducing virgin material use.
Water Stewardship
Water‑efficiency projects and rainwater‑harvesting systems across several facilities delivered savings of 219,114 m³ in 2025, reinforcing Beko’s commitment to responsible resource management.
Low‑Emission Product Portfolio
A standout figure: 72.6% of Beko’s 2025 sales came from low‑CO₂ appliances. This reflects both the breadth of Beko’s energy‑efficient range and rising consumer demand for environmentally conscious products.
LG posts the strongest home‑appliance quarter in its history
LG posts the strongest home‑appliance quarter in its history
LG Electronics reported Q2 2026 consolidated revenue of 23.83 trillion won (approx. €15 billion) and operating profit of 1.58 trillion won (approx. €1 billion). Year‑on‑year, revenue increased 14.9%, while operating profit surged 147%, driven by a stronger premium mix and improved cost efficiency across the business.
The Home Appliance Solution division delivered the best quarter in its history, surpassing 7 trillion won (approx. €4.5 billion) in revenue for the first time. Operating profit reached 686 billion won (approx. €430 million). Growth came from both premium categories and high‑volume segments, supported by supply‑chain optimisation and tighter cost controls. LG’s subscription‑based service model also contributed to more stable, recurring revenue.Why this matters for the global appliance sector
– Premium appliances continue to be the main driver of margin expansion.
– LG’s results highlight the impact of aggressive operational efficiency in a high‑cost environment.
– Subscription models are becoming a structural stabiliser for revenue in home appliances.
Elica Secures €120M Credit Line
Elica has strengthened its financial position with a new €120 million pooled credit facility, backed by a consortium of major European banks and supported by SACE guarantees. The funding will accelerate the company’s industrial transformation, product innovation, and international expansion across its cooking ventilation portfolio.
CEO Luca Barboni says the operation boosts financial flexibility and supports Elica’s long‑term growth strategy. The move reinforces the Fabriano manufacturer’s leadership in premium cooking extraction systems and its push into wider global markets.
New International Test Standard Approved for Refrigerated Food Lockers
A new global test standard for refrigerated food lockers has cleared the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage, marking the final step before publication. The standard defines how lockers used for temporary chilled or frozen food storage should be tested, rated and assessed for thermal and energy performance.Refrigerated lockers have become a fast‑growing part of grocery logistics as retailers expand online fulfilment and offer flexible, anytime collection via PIN codes, QR codes or app‑based access. The global market is forecast to reach $343.26 million by 2035, driven by strong adoption in the USA, China, Germany, Japan and France, with wider Europe accelerating.What’s in the New StandardThe new test method mirrors much of EN ISO 23953, including temperature classifications, test room design and instrumentation requirements. It also introduces three new climate classes (-3, -2, -1) to simulate outdoor operation at dry‑bulb temperatures of –22°C, –7°C and 5°C, with air velocity requirements of 1–3 m/s.Key technical points:Temperature classifications — aligned with EN ISO 23953, with added low‑temperature outdoor classes.Test room conditions — similar climate setup and instrumentation accuracy requirements.Loading methods — uses EN ISO 23953 M‑packs, with polystyrene blocks permitted for additional loading.Energy measurement — same methodology as EN ISO 23953, but performance is assessed using net volume, not display area.The test regime itself is almost identical to EN ISO 23953, but without door‑opening cycles, reflecting the static nature of locker compartments.Could Lockers Be Energy‑Labelled Next?The existence of a formal test standard moves refrigerated lockers closer to potential Ecodesign and Energy Labelling inclusion. The European Commission has already signalled interest in new categories such as food lockers within its impact assessment for direct‑sales refrigeration.However, regulators still need real‑world performance data — temperature stability, energy consumption and net volume — before minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) or labels can be drafted.RD&T PositionRD&T notes that locker testing is a new but straightforward extension of its existing EN ISO 23953 capability. With strong methodological overlap, the company can already test lockers across all indoor conditions defined in the new standard..
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