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News Gtech Cuts the Cord No cyclone, no bag, no dust, no flex — just great performance Spotlight on New Brand for TongFang Global Seiki brand TVs launched in Europe British design specialist Gtech has the competition worried. Its AirRam cordless vacuum cleaner, which launched in the UK last month, has created the sort of headlines that PR companies dream of. ‘Is this the best vacuum cleaner ever?’ asked one UK national breathlessly. The answer, according to independent research by IRB Laboratories, would seem to be ‘yes’. The AirRam banishes cyclones, bags, dust clouds and cords, and uses only 100 Watts of electricity. It holds its charge for an hour — three times longer than its nearest market rival — without loss of performance, charges in four hours and weighs a mere 3.5kg. It retails at e 279.00 and, if used for three hours a week, will cost just e 18 in electricity over five years, which Gtech claims is 20 times more efficient than the leading mains-powered vacuums. “You could walk around these halls for two and a half miles without plugging it in,” said Tom Cummings, Gtech’s international sales manager, running through the AirRam’s credentials, which include a ‘data bridge’ to connect it to a PC to calculate energy usage, access customer services — even see how many calories you have burned while cleaning. The secret to a great vacuum cleaner, Cummings added, is “seal efficiency rather than suction”. Most modern machines clean by brute force, sucking dirt through long narrow tubes and spinning it around cyclones and into bags — a process that can require up to 2,000 Watts of expensive power. AirRam, by contrast, uses a beater bar to release dirt and fluff, which is then compressed into dust-free bales stored only 5cms from the floor surface. The upshot is that far less energy is needed to produce a far better result. “It’s a very simple idea,” Cummings added. “But then, all the best ideas are simple.” Gtech’s AirRam cordless vacuum cleaner: best in class? Hall 10.1 Stand 109 Seiki’s 4K TV wows the crowds THTF Global is back for the second time at IFA, but already they have been making serious inroads to the European market. Last year, TongFang Global (China) partnered with US brand Element, and decided to move into the continent. Now, as part of a global push, THTF has introduced a new marque: Seiki. Seiki flat panel TVs will target smaller regional retailers, and will complete the Element range, which aims for a more mainstream market. Element TVs have a strong USP with the integrated JBL sound bar, while the Seiki sets will have the advantage of having a very broad range of sizes and varieties, including the AK series – from 19 to 24 inches, the A01 series, from 32 to 55 inches, the B01 and B2 series – from 40 to 55 inches, the E10A series – from 19 through 32 inches, the higher end J05 series – from 39 to 70 inches – and with up to 5000:1 contrast ratio, the X05 series – from 32 to 46 inches – more design oriented, and the Q9 series – with superior colour reproduction (1.07 billion colours). THTF says it has already begun distributing Element TVs through the Metro chain in Europe, and is actively seeking new retail and distribution partners. THTF’s business strategy is called GL: Global Localisation. Already in the USA, they are present in such retail chains as Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Costco. TongFang is capable of mass-producing screen sizes from 19- to 70-inches, with annual production capacity of 10 million units. TongFang is reported to have been the first Chinese manufacturer to establish a domestic LED backlight LCD module production line, with annual capacity of 6 million pieces. Underlining TFTF’s manufacturing prowess, the company is demonstrating a 4K TV at IFA at their stand in Hall 25. Hall 25 Stand 150 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Tuesday 4 th September 2012 13
