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“We have had really strong stock levels over the past 18 months and this, combined with the further innovation and new products coming through in the next couple of years, I believe will make customers rethink about the kinds of appliances they plan into their new kitchens.”
Haier accelerates growth plans in the kitchen trade
6
Haier has announced a new partnership with Waterline to distribute the Series 6 line of premium built-in appliances. Waterline, which is part of the Crown Imperial Group, is one of the UK’s largest suppliers to the independent kitchen specialist sector and this collaboration will see stock held in three locations, backed by a national distribution service to cover 99 per cent of postcodes in England, Scotland and Wales.
The manufacturing giant plans to grow its Series
6 built-in offering and said that teaming up with Waterline will allow it to expand into new opportunities. Dan Halfpenney, Head of Kitchen Trade at Haier
Europe, commented: “After a very successful launch of Haier at the KBB Show earlier this year, this partnership with Waterline will help us accelerate our planned growth within the kitchen specialist market in the coming years.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Exertis has unveiled its own electric bike brand – called Peddle – with a range of accessible, easy-to-use electric bikes, from commuter-friendly city bikes to extra long-range, adventure-ready off-roaders.
Exertis said that Peddle electric bikes can enhance a huge range of leisure activities as well as supporting physical and mental health, while also helping the planet by embracing sustainable travel.
Clarity, the hi-fi industry trade association, has announced that Darren Sherriff has joined its Board of Directors. Mr Sherriff is well known in the hi-fi industry, having spent the last five years
in the role of Director for Home Audio at Yamaha, which put him in regular contact with the UK’s hi-fi retailers and distributors. Today he runs his own company, Lonestar Consulting, an official partner of Clarity, which aims to provide strategic advice to help businesses achieve their growth objectives.
Whirlpool has launched the new Whirlpool World website, where it highlights its continuing commitment to the circular economy through investment in several initiatives, including promoting product recycling and refurbishment programmes, reducing waste and using materials in a more sustainable. The new
www.whirlpoolworld.co.uk website is divided into three categories; Planet, Product and People. Each section provides information on topics including the company’s range of ongoing sustainability initiatives, community projects, charity partnerships, educational schemes, awards and more.
New factory in Turkey Haier Europe also recently opened a new dishwasher factory at its industrial site in Turkey. With an investment of more than €40 million, it will have full capacity of one million units per year – producing freestanding and built-in connected products for its three brands, Candy, Hoover and Haier. The brand said its new facility strengthens its
presence in Europe, and in line with its zero distance philosophy, marks a further step in its growth strategy and places Turkey as its largest production and export centre serving European and global markets. The new factory is equipped with solar panels, operating robots and advanced production processes thanks to 100 per cent automatic measuring systems, leakage detection and full traceability of critical components.
‘Does this signpost a resilience in consumer demand?’
Total UK footfall increased by 3.7 per cent in November, with high streets faring particularly well seeing an eight per cent jump. This is compared to 2021 data. Shopping centres also saw more people last month (an increase of seven per cent), while retail parks decreased by four per cent.
The latest BRC-Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor covers the four weeks 30 October to 26 November 2022 and is now measured against 2021. This comes after the BRC’s equally positive news earlier this week that total UK
retail sales increased by 4.2 per cent in the same period last month, and like-for-like sales jumped by 4.1 per cent. However, still comparing against pre-pandemic data, the report showed that total
UK footfall dropped by 13 per cent against 2019, with shopping centre figures the worst recorded at -23.2 per cent. “The figures are positive,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, “as, while retail remains below its pre-pandemic levels, it has continued to improve over the past year.” Andy Sumpter, Retail Consultant EMEA for Sensormatic Solutions, added: “With
footfall on Black Friday surpassing 2021 levels, retailers will be hoping this signposts a resilience in consumer demand, even in the context of the rising cost-of-living, as they head into the critical December Christmas trading period.”
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