LG cooling partnership

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Korean appliance brand LG has announced a partnership with healthy eating hub Honestly Healthy, to support the company’s new refrigeration range.

 

The deal will involve a six month programme of consumer marketing activity to promote the appliances, which, claims LG, have unique technology and features for keeping food and groceries fresh for longer.

 

LG’s partnership with Honestly Healthy will highlight the innovative technologies used in the brand’s latest range of combi, side-by-side and American-style refrigeration.

 

The new line-up features technologies specifically designed to maintain freshness in fruit and vegetables, such as the Moist Balance Crisper, which forms a lattice above the salad and vegetable drawers in order to capture the moisture given off by foods and preventing them becoming either dried-out or soggy.

Bella UK launch

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American small kitchen appliance brand Bella has launched in the UK.

Targeted at consumers aged 18 to 35 – the ‘millennial generation’ – Bella products will initially only be available through Argos, but there are plans to widen the distribution at a later date.

The first Bella products available in the UK will be the mid-market Linea collection, comprising a stainless steel kettle (£54.99), a matching four-slice toaster (£59.99), an espresso coffee machine (£74.99) and a high-power 1,000W whole-fruit juicer (£149.99). There is a choice of two colours – red and chrome or black and chrome. More products and ranges will follow in early 2015, including slow cookers.

VAX

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VAX the floorcare manufacturer is investing £1 million into building laboratories and product development workshops at its central Birmingham offices located at Two Colmore Square

 

A research and development centre is being built for 50 engineers in Birmingham city centre.

Midland floorcare manufacturer is investing £1 million into building laboratories and product development workshops at its central Birmingham offices located at 2 Colmore Square.

The facilities will house over 50 engineers and scientists working on a range of development projects to improve the performance of Vax’s vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner and carpet washer.

The operation will also be at the heart of work to create new designs and technologies.

James Holdgate, Vax’s head of new product development, said these new projects will focus on developing innovative machines that are bagless, cordless, lightweight, high quality and high efficiency.

He said: “These advances can only be made through the application of the very latest technologies. Upgrading our R&D facilities will enable us to develop new products that exceed our customers’ every expectation.

“We’re also committed to providing our employees with inspiring workplaces, including state-of-the-art product development facilities where they can truly fulfil their potential.”

The expansion, which is due for completion in September, is the latest phase of Vax’s expansion in the region.

It opened a purpose-built 231,420 sq ft storage and distribution centre at Stonebridge Cross, Worcestershire, in August, and its workforce has doubled in the past three years.

It has created 215 new roles since 2011, and more are in the pipeline.

Mr Holdgate said during this time Vax has significantly increased its investment in R&D, created new engineering roles and expanded the size of the product development team by 150 per cent.

Comet

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Business Secretary Vince Cable is to authorise an investigation into the administrators who oversaw the closure of electrical retailing chain Comet.

According to a report by Sky News, three partners from Deloitte – Nick Edwards, Christopher Farrington and Neville Khan – are to be referred to the accounting watchdog ICAEW, which has the power to impose substantial fines or strip accountants of their licence.

The report said the ICAEW probe is expected to examine whether the three partners breached accounting profession guidelines over a possible conflict of interest because they had acted for Comet before its insolvency and whether they failed to consult its staff properly before they were made redundant.

More than 2,000 Comet staff were awarded around £10m in redundancy following an employment tribunal which concluded last month. The judgement was that Comet “failed to comply with its obligations to consult trade unions and representatives of employees affected by proposed redundancies.”

Speaking after the tribunal, the joint liquidators, Neville Kahn and Chris Farrington of Deloitte, said: “It is disappointing that the tribunal has found against the company.

“The Comet management team, administrators from Deloitte and our advisors worked tremendously hard under very challenging circumstances to provide the best possible consultation to the employees.

“Comet Group Limited made significant efforts to consult with its nearly 7,000 employees across more than 250 sites during the administration, whilst a purchaser for the business was sought. Regrettably, it proved impossible to find a purchaser willing to save the business and all the employees ultimately had to be made redundant.”

Comet collapsed in late 2012, with the loss of more than 6,800 jobs.

 
 

Indesit Sold

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Whirlpool the world’s largest maker of home appliances, has agreed to pay 758 million euros (602.67 million pounds) to buy a 60 percent stake in smaller Italian rival Indesit  to further expand beyond its U.S. home market.

The acquisition of Indesit, which is a market leader in Italy, the United Kingdom and Russia, follows Whirlpool’s purchase of a majority stake in  Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric Co Ltd  last year for $552 million (322.57 million pounds)

Family-controlled Indesit, which produces washing machines, freezers and ovens, has been searching for eight-months for a buyer that would help it reduce its dependence on Italy and compete against cheaper products from eastern Europe and China.