Whirlpool Charges LG, Samsung With Majap Dumping

By Alan Wolf On Apr 4 2011 - 4:01am

BENTON HARBOR, MICH. — Whirlpool filed petitions last week with the U.S. Commerce Department and International Trade Commission (ITC) accusing LG and Samsung of predatory pricing practices.

The antidumping and countervailing duty petitions, which LG described as “outrageous,” claim the Korean companies are selling bottom-mount refrigerators in the U.S. at prices that are substantially below market value, assisted by subsidies from the Korean government.

 

 

GE's Bilas Succeeded By McDermott

By Alan Wolf On Apr 4 2011 - 4:01am

LOUISVILLE, KY. — Michael McDermott has been tapped to succeed GE Appliances veteran Dave Bilas as head of the company’s sales organization.

Bilas served as sales VP since 2007 and had been “instrumental in helping GE reposition in response to the housing collapse and economic downturn,” the manufacturer said. He is leaving to pursue opportunities outside the company.

Majap Briefs

By TWICE Staff On Apr 4 2011 - 4:01am

Lowe’s Adds Majap Repair Service

K/BIS A No-Show For Majap Makers

By Alan Wolf On Apr 18 2011 - 4:01am

LAS VEGAS — The major appliance trade has largely taken a pass on this month’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS).

Once the premier showcase for white-goods makers, the event has steadily lost majap industry support over the last four years as high costs, low attendance and competitive venues took their toll.

This month’s roster of majap exhibitors has dwindled to 12, led by Dacor, a California maker of premium kitchen appliances, and Equator, a Texas company known for its compact laundry and kitchen products.

Samsung Sets Price, Ship Date For LCD Fridge

By Alan Wolf On Apr 18 2011 - 4:01am

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – Samsung Electronics America has priced its four-door, Energy Star-rated LCD refrigerator to carry a suggested $3,499 retail when it begins hitting sales floors late next month.

Its RF4289 fridge, which debuted at International CES in January, offers 28 cubic feet of storage, including a customizable, counter-height “flex-zone” drawer with a moveable divider.

Next-Gen Appliances In Spotlight At CES

By Alan Wolf On Jan 24 2011 - 6:01am

LAS VEGAS — Major appliance manufacturers demonstrated at International CES that they are ahead of the curve on “smart” home appliances, even though that curve is still several years away.

Companies including GE, Sears, Haier and Whirlpool, as well as LG and Samsung (see TWICE, Jan. 17), presented majap prototypes that can be controlled remotely from smartphones and can delay operations in response to signals from the power grid.

Rosner's Celebrates 100th Anniversary

By Alan Wolf On Jan 24 2011 - 6:01am

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Independent appliance and CE dealer Rosner’s marks its 100th anniversary this month.

While surviving for a century is tough enough for any business, what makes this milestone even more poignant is that 2010, even with its recessionary headwinds and ailing Florida housing market, represented “the best year we have had in a long time,” said VP and buyer Jeff Rosner.

Whirlpool, Haier Take New Energy Partners For Smart Grid And Whole-Home Solutions

By Alan Wolf On Feb 7 2011 - 6:01am

NEW YORK — Whirlpool and Haier Group have separately forged respective partnerships with Tendril and Honeywell to create a smart-appliance infrastructure and develop energy- efficient products and solutions worldwide.

For Whirlpool, the partnership with Boulder, Colo.-based Tendril, a leading energy-platform developer, will provide the interface that will allow its next-gen majaps to communicate with the energy grid, and represents another major step toward the rollout of smart appliances in the U.S.

Majap Briefs

By TWICE Staff On Feb 7 2011 - 6:01am

AHAM Urges ‘Smart’ Majap Incentive

Majap Merchants Mixed On Proposed Price Tag Hikes By Manufacturers

By Alan Wolf On Feb 21 2011 - 6:01am

NEW YORK — Major appliance retailers had mixed reactions to a round of planned April price hikes announced by the industry’s largest manufacturers.

The increases, which range from 8 percent to 10 percent depending on SKU, are sought by vendors including Whirlpool, Electrolux and LG Electronics to help offset rising oil prices and sharply higher costs for raw materials like plastics, steel and other metals.