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HOME APPLIANCES @ IFA IFA INTERNATIONAL VISITS MIELE PLANT IN GÜTERSLOH, GERMANY With Home Appliances on show for the first time at IFA this year, IFA International were pleased to accept an invitation to meet senior Miele management during a visit to their headquarters in Germany, where we were given a personal guided tour of the company’s museum, showroom and washing machine production plant. Download Video at w w w.ifa-international.org The Gütersloh factory has been the group HQ since 1907. Numerous Miele factories are dotted across Europe, with the most recent plant opening in the Czech Republic in 2004. Virtually everything is made in-situ… The steel is smelted and moulded at the facility, the parts are shaped with a 1,000 tonne press, and even the highly complex circuit boards are assembled at Gütersloh. Education of channel partners and retailers is an important aspect of the complex, with an extensive museum and showroom. When asked why Miele is participating so actively in IFA 2008, the company’s German General Manager, Christian Gerwens, was explicit: “Firstly it has to do with distribution. Most of the specialist dealers sell CE and white goods, as there is a convergence of thought patterns when it comes to electrical and electronic equipment in the home. Did you know that besides the TV, the fridge is the most commonly used home appliance? One exhibition for both industries thus reduces complexity. Secondly, Europe holds 36% of the white goods market, so the best location for such a show is here and we believe Berlin is ideal for this.” According to Mr Gerwens, the Miele stand at IFA will be divided into two clearly defined zones: one for the dealers and another for the public, as opposed to having a “closed shop” exhibition only for dealers. Hall 2.1 / Stand 101 “It all started with Butter Machines!”… Miele’s Karin Padinger, Jörg Huckenbeck and Julia Klenner welcome IFA Editor in Chief Richard Barnes to Miele Museum 30 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday, 25 th August 2008
HOME APPLIANCES @ IFA KOREAN MANUFACTURER WORKING ON RELIABILITY AND TRADE SUPPORT TO GAIN FOOTING IN EUROPE LGe USES PRESENCE AT IFA IN AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN SHARE IN TOUGH EU MARKET PETER KÖRSGEN – DIRECTOR OF HOME APPLIANCES The Korean company LGe continues to make inroads in the white goods sector in Europe. While having a major share of the air conditioning market, reinforced recently thanks to a distribution agreement with Siemens, the Home Appliance section is still “knocking at the door” of the European majors. We asked Peter Körsgen, Director of Home Appliances for LGe Germany to tell us about the company’s presence at IFA. We are going to show the new generation of products, such as steam washing machines with advanced technologies. We will show new generations of refrigerators with A+ technology. One refrigerator is a new design trial… a white one with a premium white surface, kind of like piano white paint. We have a very new range of refrigerators with a bottom freezer or combi freezer. In the freezer part, there is an ice bar where you can access the prepared ice very easily. The steam washers will revolutionise the way people wash their clothes. These came out last year so steam washers are not really new, but we have improved on the technology and capacity. These products now have load capacities of 8 and 9 kilos, which is a record in this category. In the 9 kg version we have kept the standard outside measures so that means people can install these machines in a standard space. Are the channels continuing to converge? Some parts yes, because of the chains and the so-called superstores. We have distributors such as Mediamarkt. Of course in the smaller stores you have more traditional products there. But in the consumer electronics area, you don’t have something such as the kitchen channel or the furniture channel where you can find those products. What would you say is the medium term goal of LGe in the white goods sector? I think realistic goal is to be a reliable partner for the trades. Not number one, but a reliable partner with a good quality product and the highest customer satisfaction. Concerning the onset of LGe in the market against the traditional brands, how do you situate LGe compared to those big brands? Outside of Germany, we have proven already that LGe has not only high potential but also a high achievement ratio concerning the market share. So the customer generally accepts LGe very well. In Germany especially, because of the situation of the very strong traditional brands, it is a bit harder. Also here, we are convinced we will get some reasonable market share in the future. Concerning the traditional brands, they have a very close connection to the trade and to the service infrastructure. They have had more experience. So there is quite some way to go and we are aware of this. Hall 1.1 / Stand 103 IFA International • Monday, 25 th August 2008 www.ifa-international.org 31
