HOME SWEET HOME
HOME SWEET HOME Appliances are a Sweet Spot for LG LG Home Appliance Company saw its secondquarter 2012 operating profit nearly triple to KRW 165 billion (USD 143.23 million) from the same period last year thanks to a better product mix and improved cost efficiency. Revenues also increased year-over-year to KRW 2.88 trillion (USD 2.50 billion) from growth in developing markets. The company still expects improved results in the second half compared to the previous year despite ongoing weak demand in developed markets. 90 Million Homes Worldwide Will Employ Home Automation Systems by 2017, says ABI Research New subscription-based home automation offerings are rapidly transforming the way consumers will monitor, secure, and control their homes. Long the preserve of more expensive, custominstalled technology, home automation is moving into the mainstream, with companies such as ADT, Comcast, Verizon, Lowe’s, and many others all adding home automation to their customer services. Trends in Home Appliances Focus on comfort, lifestyle, health and efficiency The new home appliances emphasise the trend towards an easier lifestyle and healthy eating. Simplified, ergonomic controls, achieved through the use of intelligent electronic controls and sensors – interlinked throughout the home if required – form the basis for diversity and reliability. Washing machines with a wide range of specialised programmes that can remove even the most stubborn stains, highly efficient dishwashers that clean carefully and perfectly, without wasting a drop of water, and dryers using the most effective heat pump technology and self-cleaning condensers all offer unparalleled economy. Cooking is as popular as ever and can be enjoyed with friends or with larger groups of people. Induction hotplates, high-speed ovens with numerous combinations of functions and cooking programmes or versatile steamers are the perfect “tools” for home cooking, all tested and demonstrated by leading chefs. Careful preparation and processing retains the full nutritional value of the food, thereby guaranteeing outstanding flavour and healthy eating. The current range of refrigerators and fridge/freezer combinations is designed Despite manufacturers constantly improving energy efficiency with new home appliance designs in recent years, this successful technology still holds vast potential. The energy savings achieved to date are impressive and the industry has long taken a pioneering role. A comparison with models produced some 15 years ago shows that the energy Miss IFA presents the Induction Cooker Thomson THHPO5743 saved by ultra-efficient new appliances is between 50 and 70 per cent. In terms of water consumption the same applies to washing machines and dishwashers. A high degree of energy efficiency is an absolute must for the latest brand appliances. At the same time it is important for customers to not have to sacrifice other performance features. Taking an to reduce energy consumption to a minimum while at the same time offering many additional features such as zero-degree zones, humidity regulators, air filters, separate storage areas and integrated ice cube makers. Many of them are eye-catching and attractive design objects in their own right. Energy efficiency technology still holds vast potential appliance’s entire life cycle into account, there are three reasons for replacing an out-of-date model with a new one. It saves energy costs, is more efficient and protects the environment. Panasonic will be introducing new machines to the European (and world) markets, bringing new levels of efficiency. Robotic appliances gain traction in Europe The arrival of robot helpers in the past couple of years has created a whole new product category, which is booming in a number of European markets. Interestingly, Germany, France and Spain are key zones for these products, but sales channels differ greatly from one zone to another. Appliance manufacturers in Korea were among the first to introduce these products, but Europe is catching on fast! German manufacturer Kärcher, better known in the past for commercial cleaning machines, are branching into the lucrative area of robot vacuum cleaners. 22
IFA Sneak Peek Getting the Story “Up Front and Up First” The ultimate last minute media briefing in the run-up to IFA 2012 [ by Richard Barnes ] The IFA Innovations Media Briefing — a way for top journalists to get the “inside line” on what will be on show at IFA. This year as every year, IFA plays host to an amazing swathe of the world’s top media organisations. But on 12th July, journalists were already gathering – for the first time under the official IFA banner – for a select pre-show event: The IFA Innovations Media Briefing. In 20-minute presentations, well-known IFA exhibitors presented their innovations, then journalists had the opportunity to conduct interviews and to prepare their reports for the upcoming show. Confirmed exhibitors included Beurer, Bosch, De'Longhi, Dyson, Grundig, Hama, Kärcher, LG, Loewe, Metz, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sennheiser, Sharp, Siemens, Sony, Toshiba, videoweb and wmf group. Another important session of this pre-IFA event not to be missed was "gfu insights & trends - the future of television is smart" discussed the rapid changes around the world of TV, and “Nowhere else in the world do so many international journalists come to see the latest products – all in one place.” included discussions with industry experts. Questions covered included; “How are Smart TVs changing, and what about networked devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones that also work much in the same way as a Smart TV – only smaller?” At IFA itself, live coverage by print, online, radio and television stations has always been a part of the event, but it has become more international over the past years. Numerous foreign networks such as Al-Jazeera-TV, AP Agentur, Bloomberg, BFM (France), BTV (China), CCTV (China), CETV (China), CNBC/ NBC, I Tele (France), Israeli TV, EBU (Switzerland), Servus TV (Austria) and TF1 (France) broadcast from IFA last year. IFA shines with international media coverage Not least of all, these organisations provide varied entertainment and diverse coverage about the latest innovations on show at IFA. Nowhere else in the world do so many international journalists come to see the latest products – all in one place. © Messe Berlin www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday 27 th August 2012 23
