Online electricals retailer AO World has hiked it annual earnings outlook for the third time in just over three months as it said cost-cutting efforts were paying off.profitability has seen a better-than-expected improvement as it drives cost savings thanks to a “resilient” customer base.Expects underlying earnings to be in the range of £37.5 million to £45 million for the full year, up from the £30 million to £40 million guided for last month.AO World slumped to a £12 million loss in its first half, with shares hammered last year following a series of profit warnings as the cost crisis hit consumer spending on white goods, and due to labour shortages and supply chain disruptionThe company started its turnaround plan with a £40 million fundraising round last summer in a bid to strengthen its balance sheet amid fears of a cash crunch.
AO has closed its loss-making German operation as part of the shake-up and has launched action to save at least £30 million a year by 2023-24 – including by recently axing senior and middle management jobs.
The firm has also ditched unprofitable products while introducing delivery charges and cutting cashback incentives to reduce the cost of sales.
Middleby opens the doors to European innovation kitchen
Middleby have officially opened the doors to a brand new state-of-the-art culinary centre in Madrid that will see it ramp up the level of support and product engagement it can offer customers in Europe.500 square metre space showcases almost 30 Middleby brands, divided into seven separate foodservice concepts so that customers can trial and test its equipment depending on their areas of focus.the centre houses more than 80 pieces of live equipment from the company’s global portfolio of brands, including Lincat in the UK, TurboChef from the US and Josper in Spain
Xiaomi smart fan
Xiaomi will shortly launch the Mijia Smart Floor Fan 1X in China. A wall outlet or power bank can power the USB-C gadget. You can choose from many settings in the Mijia app to customize the fan’s output for a natural feeling to suit you. Plus, you can control the smart fan with Xiao AI voice commands.Alternatively, you can control the gadget with Xiao AI voice commands. The fan covers a 140° area up to 14 m (~46 ft), with a peak delivery rate of 24.5 m³/min (~865 ft³/min). At the maximum power, the device produces 52.9 dB of noise; a quiet mode you can use while you sleep reduces this to 25.6 dB. The Mijia fan is powered via a USB-C input, which you can connect to a wall outlet via the accompanying 18 W adapter or a power bank. For example, a fully charged Xiaomi Mi 10,000 mAh power bank would allow the fan to run for 22 hours.
Pelgrim stops producing gas hobs and cookers after 70 years
The Dutch kitchen brand Pelgrim is the first player in the industry to announce that it will completely stop the production and sale of gas hobs and cookers. The company, which has been marketing gas stoves since 1952, focuses entirely on electric stoves with a view to the energy transition.
The company focuses entirely on electric hobs, in particular the popular induction hobs from its own factory. Convenience, safety and durability are the main reasons why more than 95% of people choose induction when purchasing a new cooktop.
The last Pelgrim gas appliances that are still in stock at kitchen specialty stores may still be sold. Consumers with a gas appliance can still contact Pelgrim for questions. For your information, the Pelgrim website only lists the latest models that may still be for sale in the store.
The traditional Dutch brand Pelgrim was founded in 1920 with the opening of the NV.emailleerfabriek Neerlandia by Messrs JMG Oorsprong and BJ Pelgrim. After the discovery of natural gas, the first houses in the Netherlands were connected to natural gas in 1951. A year later, Pelgrim started producing its gas stoves and later also gas stoves. In 2022, the last Pelgrim gas hob rolled off the production line.
Yijiahe Technology Co., Ltd. announces its entry into the commercial cleaning industry
Yijiahe Technology Co., Ltd. announces its entry into the commercial cleaning industry with a new range of cutting-edge commercial cleaning robotics solutions and a cloud-based management platform built to serve a variety of cleaning use cases. With over 20 years of experience in the service robotics industry, the company is set to explore new frontiers in the commercial cleaning industry.As a developer, manufacturer, and supplier in the service robotics industry, Yijiahe has accumulated a wealth of technical expertise and experience in several categories like Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Autonomous Driving, etc. The company is known for its commitment to innovation and excellence, and its entry into the commercial cleaning industry is a natural extension of its core capabilities.
The indoor commercial cleaning robots, J30 series and J40, and the outdoor commercial cleaning robot, J110, are a testament to the company’s technical expertise. The J30 series features the “Cleaning+” function which combines cleaning with promotions, receptions, presentations, or other possibilities, adding more value to the customers than the traditional cleaning robots. The J40 cleaning robot provides end users with 5 different modes and automatic refill and recharge, which maximizes productivity while freeing end-users from repetitive work. The J110 outdoor cleaning robot is built to tackle even the toughest cleaning terrains, such as parking lots, sidewalks, and other outdoor spaces, and features an automatic bagging feature.To complement the cleaning robots, Yijiahe has also developed an intelligent management cloud platform that enables customers to remotely manage and monitor their robots, providing real-time data and analytics to optimize cleaning performance.
With its global presence and technical expertise, Yijiahe is well-positioned to expand its business to the commercial cleaning industry. The company’s deep understanding of robotics and its commitment to excellence ensure that customers can expect nothing but the best from Yijiahe as it continues to innovate and deliver world-class solutions.
Dreame
Consumer tech brand Dreame Technology moves into the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, making its robotic vacuums available on local platforms
The Shanghai-based smart home appliances maker, Dreame Technology, with product lines that include robotic vacuum cleaners, wet-and-dry vacuums and personal care products, is enlarging its European footprint by moving into the Benelux region. The brand has already become popular in other parts of Europe, like in Germany where its L10s Ultra ranked 1st in the robotic vacuum category on Amazon Germany during Black Friday 2022.
Fuelled by its existing success on the continent, Dreame Technology has joined forces with local retailers Ochama, Bol, Art&Craft, and Robostofzuigers to offer its products through local retail platforms in these countries.Robotic vacuum cleaners
Through these partnerships, Dreame Technology is launching multiple collections, including two of its flagship products in the robotic vacuum category — the L10s Ultra and the D10 Plus.
The L10s Ultra combines popular robotic cleaning technologies, such as auto-emptying and automatic mop cleaning for fully automated cleaning and includes a powerful vacuuming capacity with 5,300Pa of suction, robust mopping with two rotary mops and mop self-cleaning. The D10 Plus offers up to 45 days of AI-powered automated vacuuming and cleaning with its high-capacity automatic emptying feature and powerful 4,000Pa suction and multi-surface brush.
To launch its presence in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, the smart appliances maker will be offering a number of special promotions and discounts of up to 13% through its local partners.
Established in 2017, Dreame Technology, is an innovative consumer product company focused on smart home appliances. In addition to its robotic vacuum cleaners, the firm also offers wet-and-dry vacuums and cordless vacuums, such as the H12 Pro and T30.
Spare parts: LF becomes REPA Italia
Distributors in the supply of spare parts for professional kitchens LF, EPGC and GEV have undergone a total rebranding within the REPA group, becoming a single business. The three companies that form a division of Parts Town Unlimited, a leader in the distribution of parts for food service equipment, will be rebranded as REPA. For LF, the rebranding in REPA Italia strengthens the identity as part of an international group. REPA customers can count on the largest spare parts database in the sector and on the experience gained in over 40 years of presence on the market: from here derive some essential strengths such as rapid identification of spare parts, advanced logistics solutions and shipping times very fast.
“As a trusted partner of leading equipment manufacturers – comments Alexander Wiegand, CEO of the REPA Group -, the rebranding gives our customers access to even more spare parts in stock. On top of that, they will continue to enjoy the same benefits such as an easy-to-use webshop, mobile applications and a team of highly knowledgeable people who are always on hand to provide assistance should the need arise.” “Although part of the REPA Group since 2018 – adds Leonardo Raggi, CEO of REPA Italia -, the rebranding represents a key moment in the history of our company and further strengthens our position as a spare parts supplier”.
Bosch Appliances Awarded Quiet Mark
Over 60 of Bosch home appliances have been awarded the Quiet Mark! This is a huge achievement
The Quiet Mark is a mark of excellence indicating that Bosch products have achieved significant sound reduction compared to other products in their class. This means you can enjoy peace and quiet in your home without having to worry about loud appliances disrupting your day-to-day activities.The Quiet Mark endorsed Bosch appliances include the Series 6 DWK97JQ60B cooker hood, which operates at 65dB (decibels), the Series 6 SMD6EDX57G dishwasher, which runs at 42dB, and the Series 4 WGG04409GB washing machine that spins at 71dB.
BSH defends vacuum cleaner patent against Electrolux
The German Federal Court of Justice has upheld a vacuum cleaner patent owned by German manufacturer BSH, thus overturning a first-instance ruling. It is now likely that infringement proceedings will resume. A parallel dispute in Sweden has resulted in a referral to the CJEU concerning jurisdictional questions.Since 2007, BSH Hausgeräte and Electrolux have been fighting over vacuum cleaner technology. Now the German Federal Patent Court has upheld a patent owned by BSH, meaning suspended proceedings in Düsseldorf could now resume
Bluestem Group Acquires Ewbank Products Ltd
Historic British floorcare manufacturer, Ewbank Products Ltd, has been acquired by electrical appliance company, Bluestem Group.
The origins of Ewbank date back to 1864 when the business, then known as Entwisle & Kenyon Limited, manufactured water meters; later producing washing machines and mangles. In 1889 the first Ewbank carpet sweeper was launched in the United Kingdom.
Bluestem Group licenced the Ewbank brand for the UK in 2019. Since then, they have launched an extended range of corded and cordless vacuums, hard floor cleaners and outdoor appliances. Following the successful partnership with Ewbank to develop the brand in the UK, the two businesses agreed to an acquisition deal for the UK entity and the worldwide trademark, which completed in February 2023.
