With an aim to strengthen their export capability, makers of washing machines in China are exploring new markets and boosting output of energy-efficient models.
Some companies that focus on Asia, the Middle East and the smaller countries of the EU are now setting sights on Germany, the UK and France. They are also establishing more worldwide sales networks and distribution channels to increase revenue.
Suppliers in China are therefore optimistic that overseas sales will increase 20 to 25 percent annually.
Taking a step further, suppliers are responding to the rising demand for water-saving models. While top-loading washing machines remain popular particularly in Asia, makers are also expanding their range of front-loading types. Well-received in Europe and the US, front-loading washing machines consume only about half of the water used by top-loading versions with the same capacity.
To sustain exports to the EU market, some China companies are taking steps to meet the RoHS directive that is set to regulate the use of harmful substances in electronic products entering the region. A number of suppliers interviewed for this report are using RoHS-compliant motors and components sourced from qualified suppliers.
Further, aside from obtaining the CCC domestic certification, most washing machines manufactured in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shandong and Shanghai have passed the random inspections conducted by the General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine of China. The qualified rate of China-made washing machines is 96.7 percent.
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