Haier Unveils Pioneering Technologies at the IFA Trade Show in Beijing

Technologies demonstrate brand DNA to focus on consumer needs

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Sep 04, 2015, 07:00 ET

BEIJING, Sept. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Haier, the world's leading home appliances and consumer electronics brand, presented its latest technologies at the IFA Trade Show in Berlin on September 4^th. Many visitors were attracted by these advanced technologies and the company's introductions to its U+ Smart Life platform and its online factories concept, all of which demonstrate how Haier is pushing the boundaries of innovation to improve customer experiences.

All of the products Haier exhibited at the show were conceptualized from the company's direct communications with consumers. Its newly-revealed T Door refrigerator, which is part of the company's Cube Series range, was developed following numerous interactions with large families. Many of these family members expressed a desire for a refrigerator with larger storage spaces and better dividers to ensure that different types of food can be stored for as long as possible without losing taste. Its Duo washing machine was another such innovation that resulted from Haier's extensive consumer consultations. The company found that its consumers wash on average 220 loads of laundry per year, meaning that they need to spend considerable amounts of time waiting for washing cycles to end. The Haier Duo washing machine resolves this hassle by providing an upper and lower drum in the same machine that users can choose to operate either simultaneously or non-simultaneously depending on their needs.

Haier also introduced its U+ Smart Life platform at the fair. Embracing the openness and connectivity that the Internet brings, the platform is the world's first fully-open, individualized and interactive smart home system. It can be connected to six product ecosystems – air, food, cleaning, security, health and entertainment – covering a wide range of home appliances and enables consumers to remotely monitor and control these appliances through a dedicated mobile application. The platform is also able to learn a user's habits to accordingly adjust the linked appliances to the most suitable settings.

The IFA Trade Show also provided the setting for a presentation on Haier's online factories. A business focus in 2015, the company's online factories approach to manufacturing allows a mass customization of production by empowering Internet-connected consumers to control intelligent factories to develop products according to their desired specifications. The model also allows consumers to observe the whole production process through an online platform.

The success of Haier at the IFA Trade Show is the result of a transformational shift it started in 2012 to develop from a traditional manufacturing company into an Internet-based platform business. The main objective of this strategy is to create zero distance with its end users. By reducing the number of intermediate links within its production and services processes, Haier aims to provide the very best user experiences by allowing customers to control and tailor the business to meet their needs. After three years of implementation, it has already driven the development of new technologies that better meet consumer needs. Yannick Fierling, CEO of Haier Europe, said: "Haier's investment in these technological breakthroughs demonstrates our determination to be truly customer-focused and forward-thinking. We are constantly looking for disruptive ways to deliver new user experiences."

About Haier Group

Haier is the world's leading home appliance provider, with global revenues amounting to US$ 32.6 billion and profits of US$ 2.40 billion in 2014. Its mission is to create innovative home appliances that anticipate the fast-changing needs of consumers all around the world. Haier has been named the number one global home appliance brand every year for the last six years by Euromonitor International, a world leader in strategy research for consumer markets, and in 2012 the Boston Consulting Group named Haier one of the ten most innovative companies in the world as well as the most innovative company in the consumer and retail category. Its global headquarters are based in the Chinese city of Qingdao and it also has regional headquarters in both Paris and New York to serve its clients in Europe and America. Haier also has 5 R&D centers, 66 trading companies and 21 industrial parks worldwide.

Haier Electronics Group Co., Ltd. a subsidiary of the Haier Group, is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKG: 1169). By drawing on its competitive strengths in marketing, the Internet, logistics and services, Haier Electronics Group aims to provide an integrated and unrivalled consumer experience. Qingdao Haier Co., also a subsidiary of Haier Group, is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SHA: 600690) and focuses on driving innovation in smart home technologies.

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SOURCE Haier Group