MEGA Partners With United Servicers

By Alan Wolf On May 17 2010 - 4:01am

GERMANTOWN, TENN. — MEGA Group USA, the national buying group for appliance, electronics and home-furnishings retailers, has forged an alliance with United Servicers Association (USA).

Under the partnership, USA will support MEGA’s self-servicing appliance dealers with management and training, education programs, government relations and marketing programs.

The pact marks MEGA’s first partnership with a services association.

 

 

April Majap Shipments Soar

By Alan Wolf On Jun 7 2010 - 4:01am

WASHINGTON — The major appliance industry roared back to life in April, riding a wave of federally funded appliance rebates.

The $300 million cash-for-appliances initiative hit its peak that month, following a staggered state-by-state rollout that began in February.

Retailers are reporting little halo effect, however, as the state-managed programs conclude.

Friedrich Ships New AC Platform

By Alan Wolf On Jun 7 2010 - 4:01am

SAN ANTONIO — Friedrich, the 127-year-old premium room air maker, has launched a new AC platform called Kühl that features interchangeable front panels in six designer colors plus white.

The American manufacturer says Kühl (pronounced “cool”) is currently the only U.S.-distributed room air conditioner to offer the interchangeable feature.

The line, which was slated to hit the market late last month, ships in silver, and consumers can opt to purchase additional panels in deep red, cobalt blue, pink, beige, black and white for $50 each.

Nationwide Receives Energy Star Award

By Alan Wolf On Mar 23 2010 - 11:53am

WASHINGTON — Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) received a 2010 Excellence in Appliance Retailing Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week for its outstanding contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The honor, which recognizes Nationwide’s efforts to market and promote energy-efficient products, was bestowed at an EPA awards ceremony here.

Whirlpool Wins LG Infringement Suit

By Alan Wolf On Mar 23 2010 - 11:55am

WILMINGTON, DEL. — A federal jury found that LG Electronics infringed a Whirlpool patent for an in-door icemaker and awarded the appliance manufacturer $1.8 million in damages.

The jury also dismissed a counterclaim that Whirlpool infringed an LG patent for water-dispenser technology.

The jury’s findings contradict those of the International Trade Commission (ITC), which last month dismissed the last of Whirlpool’s patent- infringement charges that had been brought before that body.

Big Majap Makers Pass On K/BIS

By Alan Wolf On Apr 5 2010 - 4:07am

CHICAGO — The upcoming Kitchen/ Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) will be more notable for the appliance vendors that aren’t exhibiting than for those in attendance.

Absent from the event, which had long been the majap equivalent of International CES, will be most of the industry’s largest manufacturers, including BSH, Electrolux/Frigidaire, Haier, LG, Samsung, Sub-Zero/Wolf and Viking.

Whirlpool, as it did last year, will be represented solely by its Jenn-Air brand.

Core Categories Up 5% In Feb.

By Alan Wolf On Apr 5 2010 - 4:10am

WASHINGTON — Total factory shipments of six core major appliance categories — washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ranges and ovens — rose 5 percent in February over the year ago period.

According to the latest monthly wholesale shipment data compiled by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), gains in the so-called AHAM 6 helped offset steep unit declines in the compactor, home comfort and microwave oven categories.

MAJAP BRIEFS

By TWICE Staff On Apr 5 2010 - 4:12am

F&P Integrates DCS

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. — Fisher & Paykel will more fully integrate its DCS cooking unit into the parent company and will go to market this year as a single global resource, the manufacturer said. The New Zealand-based kitchen and laundry supplier acquired DCS six years ago and had maintained separate management teams for the brands. The brand immersion, which dovetails with DCS’s move from commercial to more modern designs, will be trumpeted at this month’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) under the theme “One company … two brands.”

Feds Testing Appliances For Energy Star Compliance

By Alan Wolf On Apr 5 2010 - 4:15am

WASHINGTON — The federal government has begun testing Energy Star-rated major appliances for compliance with the program’s efficiency standards, and is developing a new certification procedure that will ultimately apply to all products.

The new measures, along with stricter enforcement, were designed to tighten up a qualification process that largely relies on vendor self-assessments and peer review.

Whirlpool Demos Smart-Grid-Compatible Dryer At Intl. CES

By Alan Wolf On Jan 18 2010 - 8:00am

Whirlpool showcased a smart-grid-compatible clothes dryer during International CES that can respond to peak-demand signals from a local utility by automatically modifying its energy consumption.