Interview: Diego Perrone - Haier
Home is committed to the pivotal integration of sustainability into its business. To achieve this ambition, the company has developed a strategy that aims at enhancing its operations processes and accelerating its product leadership with resource-effi cient solutions. Designed by Sir Jony Ive, the Terra Carta Seal embodies the vision and ambition of His Majesty King Charles III and the Terra Carta, as a recovery plan for Nature, People and Planet.
SH: Smart Solutions are now becoming available from other brands. What should the retailers and consumers know that make Haier a better investment and solution? DP: The products themselves are actual statements emphasising attention to detail. The quality ethos of the company is also outstandingly good. That’s something that’s come from the history of this company. The founder, Zhang Ruomin, took a decision
to not allow bad quality. And there is a famous story how he lined up 100 fridges in the car park. He gathered all the workers to come out, and he said, these are not good enough. He smashed 100 fridges with a sledgehammer. From that moment, the way the company thought and the way everybody behaved changed. Everybody was massively focused on quality. And that’s what made the company number one. It wasn’t they made the cheapest one, it wasn’t they had some clever invention. They just said, we’re going to make the best quality product we can. The very interesting culture that we have in Haier is this idea that everybody is a little owner of a business. It was a very entrepreneurial culture. And again, came from the same guy with the sledgehammer. Quality of product is essential but it’s also the people who make the diff erence. Investing in a great Team is essential, who in turn, invest their time and enthusiasm with the retailers, who then pass this quality to the end user, the consumer.
SH: Knowledge is King. What periodical product training is provided for the independent retailer? How important is training for Haier? DP: Keeping updated with product knowledge is King with all involved in the marketing and selling process both within Haier as well as on the retailers’ shop fl oor.
Regular training is key to pass on the advantages and ultimate benefi ts of existing and future products and technology, along with key demonstration skills to provide customer confi dence and satisfaction. Periodical product training is an essential investment for future success and relationship with the Haier brand.
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www.ierdaily.co.uk Our state-of-the-art Training Activation Centre in
Birchwood, Warrington has welcomed hundreds of retail staff to experience how the latest technological innovations integrate within Haier products.
SH: With such a massive upheaval, from Milan to Warrington, have you settled and when will your family join you to settle in the North of England? DP:Over many decades, in many industries, many have had to relocate as their careers progress and those who have, will agree, it is a necessary upheaval and luckily, I have a supportive family and with them, they too will play an extremely important role as I journey with my responsibility for expanding Haier Europe’s leadership in the UK and Irish markets. As yet, my family are still in Italy and I’m looking
forward to my wife and youngsters moving over to the UK early in the New Year. In the meantime, my welcome has been
overwhelming. I really love the people that I’m working with based in Warrington at our headquarters. They and all the external people in the fi eld are so nice and so helpful. I was very quickly able to settle in, which was great. Plus, I have met several UK retailers and hoping to meet many more in the months to come.
SH: Will HAIER be introducing a wider range of domestic appliances under the Fisher Paykel or own branding? DP: Haier are working hard to develop the brand and you’re going to see a rapid pace of change in technology that will make this industry much more about systems and less about individual products. That said, the consumer wants a beautiful product, so we have to work massively hard at aesthetics because that’s also important, especially in the kitchen. Smart product performance and aesthetics are
massively important attributes. Then we’re going to work at developing and investing in our brands, particularly the Haier brand. Whilst Fisher Paykel is owned by Haier, it will focus on its own strategy whereas, Hoover and Candy will benefi t alongside the Haier investment programme.
PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
SH: As the Smart Home is a growing to be a popular success, will this ‘package’ be one for specialist independent retailers to be part of or will it be a concept driven by the provision to Building companies within that industry? DP:Connectivity and smart products are the necessity for future savings in energy use. We are all super conscious about it from the point of view of the environment and also conscious of it from the point of view of cost. There will no doubt be a rapid development of
renewable energy, Smart Energy use. Hence, we will all need Smart products, which know how to use the energy properly. We at Haier are continuing to work hard, and
I believe we are a leader in the area of the whole aspect to the Smart Home. From a home energy point of view, Haier will be providing the solar panels, plus, all the things that you need to make that work and probably coupled with the heat pump. Haier will be providing a part of this ecosystem that will talk to the central controller, allowing the management of energy in the right way to obtain the benefi ts of connectivity. Energy management is going to be part of what people will expect from their home. Whether managing all MDAs, SDA’s, KSDA’s, home entertainment, EV charging, these items and more have consumption. So, basically connecting everything to enable energy management makes sense. The local generation of power through heat
pumps, through solar, is something that Haier as a brand and as a company will enter. Whilst others will stay making washing machines, etc., we will manage that whole environment, making sure it all talks together and work effi ciently and benefi cially.
SH: We will no doubt see huge changes in the next three or four years. Though the next question is, where’s it going to be in ten years? DP: So, I think there’s a big change happening in the industry.
Whilst Haier was selected to provide the appliance for a two storey, close to zero, energy house located in Sheffi eld for a private building company, this was an exercise of how the future smart house will be. Haier supplied the full suite of energy effi cient appliances across the entire house including to name a few the X Series 11 washer and heat pump dryer, the I Pro Shine Series 7 Dishwasher, Series 6 oven, hob and hood and small kitchen appliances including an air fryer, toaster, kettle and blender from the Haier I Master Series 5 range. Footnote: On behalf of the IER Team and its
readers, we wish Diego the very best in his new role and a successful, happy relocation to the UK with his wife and young family.
Spring 2025
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