I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I
I EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I Yannick Fierling CEO, Haier Europe Haier steps up its commitment to connected appliances at IFA 2023 The company is consolidating its high-end strategy and brand ecosystem with a focus on sustainability and energy-saving In an exclusive interview with IFA International, Yannick Fierling, CEO of Haier Europe, told us about about what it means to "Connect to Extraordinary". How has Haier Europe performed over the past year and what are your targets for 2023/24? With a remarkable 20% growth rate year-on-year, we are setting new records in our industry and are still the fastest-growing company in Europe. We have consolidated our highend strategy and brand ecosystem with a focus on sustainability and energy saving. Haier Europe now ranks fourth among home appliance manufacturers in the region with a market share of 8.3%. We have been strengthening our presence and reaffirming our commitment to sustainability and technological leadership in connected appliances. We aim to build a home-energy ecosystem all orchestrated by our hOn app. Your slogan at this year’s IFA is "Connect to Extraordinary". What does this mean and how is it reflected on your stand? Connect to Extraordinary comes to life in approximately 3,400sqm of exhibition space with a new universe of connectivity to serve consumers’ needs in their everyday lives. Our three most strategic pan-European brands, Candy, Hoover, and Haier, play a starring role and, thanks to innovative technologies and AI, they become living ecosystems and interact with visitors. The purpose is to show how technology at the service of people can have a significant impact on the improvement of everyday life and on the environment. As pioneers in the IoT world, we are displaying new projects dedicated to integrated and all-encompassing services. At IFA, visitors can see the actual connections among the smart functions of the solutions provided by Haier Europe, energy suppliers, and the systems connected, which include PV, solar systems, air conditioning, and appliances. Visitors can also enjoy an experiential journey in Haier Europe’s Immersive Dome, where storytelling comes to life through visual, sound, and light interactions. Here, they are able to explore the whole Haier Europe ecosystem, built on the concepts of interconnectivity, efficiency, customisation, and smart services. How important is IFA in your annual marketing strategy? The fair is a perfect platform for appliance and electronics companies to showcase cutting-edge products and technology to a global audience. As the world changes, it’s critical to exchange and stay up to date on essential topics, including intelligent manufacturing, artificial intelligence, smart homes, energy-saving solutions, and much more. This is a huge opportunity for us to showcase our innovative solutions. Participating in IFA in Berlin as a leader means providing multilevel scenarios that show the way connected solutions can generate outstanding value for the user. IFA is an international stage we walk on every year with renewed enthusiasm Hall 3.1 / Stand 101 WITH CONSUMER PRIORITIES CHANGING, HAIER HAS ADAPTED WITH THE "INTERNET OF BEINGS" In recent years consumer purchasing decisions have been increasingly driven by energy consumption and energy-saving, and a focus on sustainability. For Haier Europe, this has given the connected home ecosystem added value. "It becomes a true partner in everyday life, anticipating, advising, and guiding towards greater sustainability with considerable energy savings," said Yannick Fierling, CEO of Haier Europe. "As a group, we have the highest number of A-class codes in selected categories. This is a proud achievement and the result of a very precise strategy. We decided long ago to move towards efficiency strategies that could have immediate and functional applications in the short term," he added. With a view to significantly reducing energy costs in the home, Haier Europe has also planned partnerships that will enable customers to derive maximum efficiency from their smart appliances. Technology, innovation, and AI come together in the idea of the Internet of Beings, placed at the heart of the company's "zero distance to consumer" strategy. 20 IFA INTERNATIONAL • SATURDAY 2 ND & SUNDAY 3 RD SEPTEMBER 2023 www.ifa-berlin.com/content-hub
I SPECIAL FEATURE I HOME APPLIANCES I Smart, energy efficient, and multifunctional appliances are leading the way Home appliances are an integral part of IFA, and consumers are investing in energy-efficient solutions as sustainability awareness rises across the board. According to data from GfK, a number of trends are continuing their upward climb post-COVID such as more recreational cooking and investing in haircare categories. with similar labels grew by 37%. The demand for smart kitchen gadgets is also on the rise. Voice-controlled devices grew by 15% in the first half of 2023, and ovens with built-in cameras saw a 9% sales increase. Air fryers continue to be a market favourite, growing by 54% YoY in the first half of 2023. Their versatility, with features like see-through windows, dishwasher compatibility, multiple baskets and detachable containers, has made them a favorite in modern kitchens. When it comes to smaller appliances, as out-of-home activities resume, hair care products, especially hair stylers, are also witnessing a resurgence. This indicates a shift in consumer priorities post-pandemic. Incremental feature innovations in Hot Air Fryers (Sources: GfK Consumer Life, global coverage of countries, 2019-2022; GfK Market Intelligence: Sales Tracking: EU 22 countries, January to June 2023, value USD sales; GfK Market Intelligence: Sales Tracking: Global ex North America, January to June 2023, value USD sales) 42% of consumers said they were cooking for fun in 2022, up from 30% in 2019. This surge in home cooking led to a boom in kitchen appliance sales in 2020 and 2021. However, by 2023, the market is beginning to show signs of saturation. See-through window +54% +121% 389% Multi-basket 133% Despite these signs of saturation, certain appliances continue to stand out. Energy-efficient products, especially combi-fridges with A-C labels, saw a 77% growth in value in the first half of 2023, while freestanding dishwashers 04/08/2023 Detachable Container Jan-Jun 2023 Hot Air Fryers Share: 95% Growth:+54% Source: Market intelligence Sales Tracking, Period:Jan-Jun 2023 Category:Fryers Dishwasher compatibility © GfK Miele Executive Director & Co-Proprietor on “more elegant, smart, and sustainable” products Dr Reinhard Zinkann Executive Director & Co Proprietor, Miele Miele's presence at IFA is always an important part of the show, and this year they are focusing on "more elegant, more smart, more sustainable" products. IFA International spoke with Miele's Executive Director & Co Proprietor, Dr Reinhard Zinkann, in an exclusive interview about what this slogan means for the company and discussed some of the new products that exemplify these themes. Can you tell us what "more elegant, more smart, more sustainable" means for Miele? Our new Duoflex cordless handstick, which fits perfectly into any room, is an example of "more elegant." With respect to the "more smart," we are presenting a couple of new smart home features. With regards to "more sustainable," our booth is designed with modular superstructures for reuse and we will be in the Sustainability Village with our Eco House. Additionally, all of our dishwashers and washing machines are in energy class A, there is a Miele project focused on refurbished washing machines, and our new HyClean Pure vacuum bags are made from 80% recycled material. Can you tell us more about the key product innovations launched at your IFA Press conference? Apart from the cordless vacuum cleaner, our major highlight is our Aerium Laundry Cabinet – a completely new category for us. We are entering this field with an innovative and versatile solution that refreshes or dries your textiles without using detergents or large quantities of water. A third highlight is the redesign of our dishwasher series G 7000. How is Miele tackling smart appliances and AI? With AI Diagnostics, a self-help app that will make most service calls superfluous and the Consumption Dashboard, which gives customers an overview of water and electricity consumption and tips on efficiency. We also have the Smart Food ID that uses a camera and AI to automatically prepare dishes in the oven. MealSync is a brand new function that synchronises cooking appliances to a common cooking time Hall 2.1 / Stand 101 IFA INTERNATIONAL • SATURDAY 2 ND & SUNDAY 3 RD SEPTEMBER 2023 21
