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)

Samsung to Outsource Manufacture of Low-End Appliances

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Samsung will outsource the manufacture of low-cost home appliances to other companies amid dwindling profits from the business.

Industry insiders said Samsung is looking for factories to outsource the production of low-end refrigerators, air purifiers and other home appliances. Samsung will handle research and development, product design and marketing, but the actual products sold under its brand will be manufactured elsewhere.

Samsung will outsource the manufacture of low-cost home appliances to other companies amid dwindling profits from the business.

The move signals a sea change for Korean conglomerates, which have long insisted on making even less profitable appliances in their own factories, first in Korea and then, as labor costs rose, in China and Vietnam.

Samsung is mainly eyeing Chinese manufacturers, according to an industry insider, starting with refrigerators and small washing machines.

A Samsung staffer said, “We will keep producing high-value-added products such as semiconductors, TVs and smartphones.”

Last year, Samsung suffered losses from two low-priced refrigerator models due to high manufacturing overheads. Profit-loss simulations showed that outsourcing their manufacture would save costs and produce W250 billion in additional profits. (US$1=W1,189).

The company also lost money from modifying production lines and purchasing vast amounts of parts for its bewildering range of products amid intensifying competition from low-priced Chinese rivals.

“We will pursue a two-track approach by continuing to manufacture premium home appliances at our factory in Gwangju while outsourcing low-priced products,” the staffer said.

Samsung has been looking to cut costs for decades. It set up factories in Malaysia in 1991 and expanded to Suzhou, China, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Poland and Mexico to make affordable products for sale there.

Outsourcing production entirely is the logical next step. Home appliances are not Samsung’s mainstay and only account for some nine percent of its sales in an oversaturated market.

Song Jae-yong at Seoul National University said, “There are concerns that Korea could lose production knowhow if the manufacture of an entire line of products is outsourced, but transferring production of low-value-added products can cut costs, boost efficiency and help corporate management.”

LG to add 10,000 robots to roll out premium home appliances

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LG Electronics, South Korea`s second-biggest tech company by sales, will deploy 10,000 industrial robots to reshape its Changwon production site into a smart factory for premium home appliances, sources said on Wednesday.

The smart factory project will be completed by 2023 and the robots will be sourced from Robostar, a local robot company acquired by LG Electronics last year. LG Electronics is also closely working with several other industry robot manufacturers including Epson.

The new factory will be a follow-up of the company’s U.S. washing machine plant which became up and running last year in the state of Tennessee to show the world’s highest level in factory automation and digitalization. The factory boasts of an integrated production system that spans parts manufacturing and module assembly to product shipment through robots.

LG Electronics controls one third of Robostar, which is known for its prominent technologies in making robots for factory automation. Vertical multi-articulated robots from Robostar are already used in LG’s production line to make automotive parts in Incheon.

The new factory being built in Changwon will enter operation in 2021 gradually before its completion in 2023 to churn out LG-branded premium household appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and water purifiers.

LG Electronics will apply an integrated control system to the factory by bringing full automation and intelligence to the entire production chain from purchasing to production, to quality inspection and logistics in order to maximize operational excellence and value creation. Once completed, the factory’s production capacity is expected to reach 3 million units a year, 50 percent higher than the current maximum capacity of 2 million units.

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.

Panasonic Announces New NN-GN68KS Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology + FlashXpress Broiler

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Panasonic is pleased to introduce the NN-GN68KS Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology + FlashXpress Broiler, the compact countertop appliance with the speed and convenience of a microwave and the power to crisp and brown foods just the way you like them. Together, Panasonic’s Inverter technology and the dual infrared Flash Xpress Broiler can conveniently prepare a variety of frozen and fresh foods, plus cook, reheat and broil —both at the same time. Other brands have to switch between microwave and grill settings to cook and brown. Panasonic does it effortlessly and simultaneously with the touch of button.

Inverter Microwave Cooking + Instant Broiling
Unlike traditional microwaves that rely on a pulse-on, pulse-off power flow to prepare foods, Panasonic’s Inverter technology creates a seamless, continuous stream of power to thoroughly heat for evenly prepared foods — with no cold spots — across a wide range of cooking techniques.

The dual infrared FlashXpress Broiler creates instant heat to quickly and easily crisp, brown and enjoy flavorful foods like mac and cheese, nachos and fried chicken, plus veggie frittatas, fresh flatbread, weeknight pasta bakes and more. A specially designed broiling rack lifts food close to infrared grilling element to deliver the crispy brown finish that’s been missing in traditional microwave cooking.

Genius Sensors Take the Guesswork Out of Cooking
The 1000W high-power Panasonic NN-GN68KS microwave also includes a Genius Sensor Cook and Reheat feature to take the guesswork out of great snacks and meals. As you cook or reheat, Genius sensors continually measure the amount of steam emitted from the food, and automatically signal the oven’s microprocessor to calculate and adjust remaining cooking and reheating time for optimum results.

Cook, Reheat and Defrost
Touch-button simple, Genius Sensor Cook prepares nutrient-rich foods with the perfect heating levels and times. Its 10 Sensor Cook settings heat oatmeal, breakfast sausage, omelets, soups, potatoes, fresh vegetables, rice, quinoa, pasta and fish fillets. Genius Sensor Reheat thoroughly warms leftovers like casseroles, plated dinners, soups and stews and more while retaining their natural nutrients and textures. For frozen foods, Panasonic’s TurboDefrost feature accelerates defrosting time to thaw foods evenly to quickly prepare foods for more efficient cooking and broiling.

Cooking Made Simpler
The space-saving, stainless-steel Panasonic NN-GN68KS Microwave + Flash Xpress Broiler makes cooking easier and more convenient with 1.1 cu.ft. capacity, 11 power levels, 13.4 in. glass turntable, intelligent multi-function touch control panel and LED, interior light, easy-clean interior, and the manual controls you need for more adventurous recipes and menus.

Panasonic NN-GN68KS touch controls include a Grill button to cook, reheat, brown and crisp, plus Combination Auto Settings to mix infrared and microwave heating. Handy Quick 30 and Add Time buttons add precise, extra heating time when needed, plus a useful Keep Warm setting to keep foods fresh and warm up to 30 minutes until ready to serve. The microwave’s 3-level popcorn button lets popcorn lovers choose the optimal popping temperature and time for different microwave bag capacities (3.2, 2.7, or 1.5 oz.) for hot, sumptuous snacking.

An accessory trim kit will be available for the NN-GN68KS in November with a model number:NN-TK623GS.

BSH breaks ground on new dryer and washing machine facility

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BSH breaks ground on its first China-based dryer and washing machine facility in Chuzhou on May 8, 2019. With an initial size of 60, 000 square meters and total investment of 1.69 billion Yuan, the facility is scheduled to go into production starting the first quarter of 2021 with a planned annual output of 3.6 million units.

It is a critical step for BSH to deliver its strategy of making Chuzhou its largest production site globally. The new facility comes after BSH’s first Chuzhou-based dishwasher company which was built in 2018 with a total investment of 0.7 billion Yuan and a planned annual output of 2 million units. The first-stage of the dishwasher facility has come on stream since 2018 and before that, the company’s Chuzhou-based refrigerator facility has seen its second-stage project go into operation. The string of investments signals BSH’s efforts in integrating its individual facilities into an industrial park in Chuzhou.

Compared to the company’s existing washing machine facility in Nanjing, the new facility is designed for the production of large-capacity washing machines, drying machines and dryer-washer combos. Plus, it will be established as an example of BSH’s Industry 4.0 strategy that features digitalization throughout the entire process from procurement, production all the way to end consumers.

It is learned that, the facility will be an important production site of the company worldwide after its operation and it will supply Chinese as well as global markets.

Electrolux invests 130 million euros in Susegana

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After an agreement with the unions, Electrolux formalizes an investment of around 130 million euros in automation, digitalization and innovation at its production site in Susegana (Treviso).

The investment, which is expected to be completed in 2022, includes two new assembly lines and resources for product and process development. This will support the competitiveness of the Electrolux built-in products in the refrigeration sector and will allow the company to achieve the best levels of performance in the context of the upcoming European regulation on the energy label. The update will also bring ergonomic improvements to workstations throughout the site.

Xiaomi announced its plan of establishing a white goods division

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Xiaomi group announced its plan of establishing a white goods division to step up its deployment in major home appliances . This comes after the company unveiled its dual core strategy of Smartphone & AIoT (AI +IoT) at its annual party in January 2019. Wang Chuan, the newly appointed President of White Goods Division who is also Senior Vice President of Xiaomi, will be responsible for the company’s white goods business covering air conditioner, refrigerator and washing machine, and will report directly to Lei Jun, Chairman of the board and CEO of Xiaomi.