Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are making strategic moves to acquire the domestic home appliance division of Hitachi Manufacturing Co. in Japan, signaling a renewed push into the Japanese market.
For Samsung, it’s a notable return—18 years after exiting Japan’s home appliance space in 2007. For LG, the acquisition represents a key opportunity to strengthen its footprint in a mature market. Analysts see this development as a shift toward deeper Korea–Japan industrial cooperation, especially as both face growth hurdles and mounting pressure from aggressive Chinese competitors.
According to Japan’s investment banking sector, Hitachi Global Life Solutions (GLS)—the unit responsible for domestic appliances—is officially up for sale. Initial bids were submitted recently, with a preferred bidder expected to be named in October and a final decision slated for December.
Samsung and LG are among the top contenders, alongside seven to eight other firms including Turkey’s Arçelik and several Chinese manufacturers. Arçelik already acquired Hitachi’s overseas appliance business in 2020, adding another layer of complexity to the bidding dynamic
Tag Archives: LGElectronics
LG Germany
LG Home Appliance Solution is expanding its top management team in Germany with three industry-leading executives. The company says this will enable it to prepare for future market demands. Markus Spodymek is the new Director and Head of LG Home Appliance Solution, effective immediately.
The trained businessperson and sales expert has held various management positions at LG for over ten years, most recently as Head of Marketing and Sales in the Home Appliance Solutions division. Spodymek, who reports directly to Germany CEO Steve Shin, will be responsible for further sharpening LG’s strategic positioning in Germany and sustainably expanding its market position, according to a press release.
LG record investment
LG Electronics Inc., South Korea’s leading home appliances maker, said Monday it made a record investment of 4.76 trillion won ($3.3 billion) in research and development last year to foster future growth engines.
The company’s R&D investment marked an 11.2 percent increase from a year earlier in 2024 to hit the highest mark in its history, LG Electronics said in a regulatory filing.
The investment accounted for 5.4 percent of LG Electronics’ annual revenue of 87.7 trillion won in 2024, up from the corresponding tally of 5.1 percent the previous year.
The company said it made investments to bolster its competitiveness in future growth engines, including home appliance technologies backed by artificial intelligence and electronic devices for automobiles as well as heating, ventilating and air conditioning technologies.
The company added it plans to invest 4.3 trillion won in advancing the quality of its products and developing new models this year.
In detail, it plans to spend 1.16 trillion won on home appliances business and 936.9 billion won on automotive electronics business, while using 1.7 trillion won for R&D and infrastructure.
The regulatory report also showed LG Electronics possessed 26,566 domestic patents and 69,765 overseas patents as of December, with most of them related to technologies in smartphones, televisions and other major businesses of the company.
Last year, LG Electronics manufactured automotive electronics devices for a record 39.9 million vehicles, and generated all-time high sales of 1.67 trillion won in the home appliances rental business
LG and Samsung Shine as Top Refrigerator Brands in U.S. Market for 2025
South Korean tech leaders LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. have earned top accolades for their refrigerators in a recent evaluation by a prominent U.S. consumer magazine, according to industry sources.
Consumer Reports, known for its rigorous reviews, selected LG refrigerators as the “Best Refrigerators of 2025” in two distinct product categories. Meanwhile, in another refrigerator model category, Samsung secured the top spot, with LG closely following in second place.
These rankings were determined through comprehensive assessments of key features, including temperature control, uniformity, and energy efficiency. Additionally, feedback from customer surveys on hundreds of refrigerator models available in the U.S. market played a pivotal role in the evaluation.
South Korean brands, led by Samsung and LG, continue to dominate the U.S. refrigerator market, boasting a combined market share of nearly 50%. This strong presence underscores their reputation for innovation and quality.
It’s worth noting that LG and Samsung also earned top honors in the washer and dryer combo categories in a prior evaluation by the same magazine, further solidifying their standing as industry trailblazers.
WHITEGOODSNOW 