The warring washing machines

Tag: Washing Machine Motor

Competition in the washing machine market has intensified in 2008, with brand elimination being the key note in market competition. That's according to an expert from a China home appliance market study group.

Brands that fall short of the top 20 in the market may face elimination this year, says Lu Renbo in his study. It's estimated that the rate of elimination may reach between 40% and 50%. Interest in drum-type washing machines has continued to increase. It's probable that they'll soon share the market equally with impeller-type washing machines.

Drum-type washers are gradually eating into the market share of impeller-type ones, dominating the replacement market. With such advantages as minimal damage to clothing, water saving and stylish exterior design, drum-type machines are matching up to time-challenged modern consumer needs. They are widely popular with consumers and have become a top choice in the modern home.

Annual sales of drum-type washers have grown rapidly not only in the China market, but also in Japan, where the impeller-type washer was invented.

In Japan, the penetration rate of white goods nears 100% and the market is relatively mature and stable. However, new models of white goods have been introduced one after another in recent years.

Washing machine manufacturers have launched a variety of user-friendly washer-dryers with innovative designs. Although these models are more costly, they are greatly attractive to consumers.

It's understood that in large chain-operated home appliance hypermarkets in Tokyo and Osaka, for example, both the display ratio and sales of drum-type washers have surpassed those of the traditional, fully-automatic impeller-type washers. In the past two years, the tilted drum washer has been a rising star in the washing machine market. Since its debut in 2005, it has made a big splash in Japanese homes.

According to a study conducted by Panasonic of Japan, the tilted drum washer attained an impressive sales volume of 300,000 units in Japan within the first 15 months of its launch. Currently, well-known home appliance makers such as Sanyo, Toshiba and Sharp have all launched their tilted drum washers on the market.

Experts on a market study to Japan pointed out that the tilted drum washer has sustained a continuous growth rate of more than 100% for three consecutive years. About 45% of Japanese households have either already purchased or are planning to purchase a tilted drum washer.

In response to the surge in demand for the tilted drum machine, a senior executive at the Dazhong Electronics refrigeration and laundry department said that consumers' purchasing criteria for washing machines in 2008 are for three main factors: the washer-dryer function, low-noise, and brand.

These three areas of requirement conform to the current three-in-one model commonly endorsed by the industry. In terms of washer-dryer function, drum-type washers with drying function can dry clothes after a wash cycle, saving time and energy. Low-noise is also a detail not to be overlooked in drum-type washers, and the key lies in the motor.

Currently, in the domestic market, LG uses the DD direct drive motor, while Panasonic's latest Alpha series tilted drum washer-dryer uses the Dual-DD30 magnetic pole converter motor, which is the latest technology in the industry, and producing the least noise.

Meanwhile, consumers are beginning to attach great importance to the "healthy" washing machine that comes with anti-bacterial and germ killing feature. Panasonic, Sharp, Samsung, LG and TCL have all introduced their anti-bacterial models.

According to trade commentators, low-end products with simple functions can no longer meet consumer demand. People are after washing machines with better features, which have to include most of the following: water-saving, energy-saving, low-noise, high-temperature germ killing, stylish exterior design and minimal damage to clothing.