Home » Sunday » Technology
Made in China .... and developed here too
By Zhu Shenshen |
March 24, 2013, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
REFRIGERATORS and TVs don't usually create much of a stir at home appliance shows.
But at an industry gathering in Shanghai this week, these everyday goods attracted attention as representatives of new trends: products from foreign companies entirely developed in China; and appliances aimed specifically at Chinese consumers.
South Korea's LG launched a 3D TV designed with Chinese viewers in mind - complete with a lucky red remote - at the Appliance World Expo, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.
And German multinational BSH Home Appliances (China) Co chose the event, which attracted 150,000 visitors, to showcase a refrigerator totally developed in China - a first for the company.
Key technology underpinning these products is the "Internet of Things," which has also been singled out as a national strategic industry to develop in China's 12th Five-Year plan, which runs to 2015.
The Internet of Things builds connectivity into devices and machinery that previously stood alone.
For example, companies are rushing to turn vehicles into networks of sensors and minicomputers that can make sure drivers have access to their iTunes libraries or stop the vehicle if the brakes aren't hit early enough.
And everyday equipment like thermostats and electricity meters are being linked up to the Internet, requiring processors to analyze data and transmit or receive instructions, through smart phones or tablets and other computers.
"We are continuing to develop technologies of connection between smart phones and devices like washing machines and refrigerators," said Roland Gerke, president and chief executive of BSH Home Appliances (China) Co, a long-standing joint venture between German giants Bosch and Siemens.
Companies are researching which functions are in demand. Options include checking on a smart phone how much food is in the fridge; or playing videos on phones directly on to TVs.
At the show, BSH displayed the Siemens 0°C Multi-door Refrigerator, the first complete product developed by its research and development center in China.
The BSH China research center in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, employs more than 350 staff, 98 percent of whom are Chinese. BSH plans to increase investment in China and have 450 or 500 people in the Nanjing center within a year or two, said Gerke.
The Siemens 0°C, which won the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award, represents the growing importance of Chinese R&D for multinationals, say experts.
Xu Dongsheng, General Secretary of China Household Electrical Appliances Association is glad to see foreign brands bring R&D capability in China.
"China's home appliances industry has embarked on a path of economic growth driven by innovation," said Xu.
The Appliance World Expo also saw recognition of the growing might of the Chinese consumer. LG used the show to launch a new 3D TV with a Chinese-style design and wireless connection functionality among TVs, remote controls and smart phones.
The LG LA6800, which has the Chinese name Guanyun - roughly translating as "elegant watching" - has been created specifically for the domestic market.
Its design is partly based on the hull of a Chinese traditional wooden boat, while the remote comes in red, a lucky color in China.
The Guanyun features a built-in app store and wireless connection feature between handsets and TVs - creating a set smarter than many rivals.
This combination of modern technology and traditional culture will boost the sales of the TV, LG officials said at the show.
Meanwhile, Shanghai-based Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc (AMEC) announced during the show that it is to start manufacturing equipment for solid state lighting, a technology mainly used for LED lighting, a new green energy application.
As a semiconductor equipment maker, this is the first time for AMEC to provide equipment for producing chips for home appliances, representing Chinese firms' expansion in a sector previously dominated by overseas companies.
In addition to everyday home appliances, electronic mahjong tables designed for and sold to Chinese consumers also shone at the expo.
Zhejiang Province- based Treyo showcased tables which can connect with iPads and air cleaning devices.
Some tables have a super-thin design, making them easy to transport by car and set up in small rooms.
"They are only sold in China. Luckily, the market is big enough because many people like them," said Fan Xiaodong, brand manager with Treyo.
Each mahjong table costs more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,587).
The company's business is "really good" as the mahjong tables meet people's requirements, said Fan.
But at an industry gathering in Shanghai this week, these everyday goods attracted attention as representatives of new trends: products from foreign companies entirely developed in China; and appliances aimed specifically at Chinese consumers.
South Korea's LG launched a 3D TV designed with Chinese viewers in mind - complete with a lucky red remote - at the Appliance World Expo, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.
And German multinational BSH Home Appliances (China) Co chose the event, which attracted 150,000 visitors, to showcase a refrigerator totally developed in China - a first for the company.
Key technology underpinning these products is the "Internet of Things," which has also been singled out as a national strategic industry to develop in China's 12th Five-Year plan, which runs to 2015.
The Internet of Things builds connectivity into devices and machinery that previously stood alone.
For example, companies are rushing to turn vehicles into networks of sensors and minicomputers that can make sure drivers have access to their iTunes libraries or stop the vehicle if the brakes aren't hit early enough.
And everyday equipment like thermostats and electricity meters are being linked up to the Internet, requiring processors to analyze data and transmit or receive instructions, through smart phones or tablets and other computers.
"We are continuing to develop technologies of connection between smart phones and devices like washing machines and refrigerators," said Roland Gerke, president and chief executive of BSH Home Appliances (China) Co, a long-standing joint venture between German giants Bosch and Siemens.
Companies are researching which functions are in demand. Options include checking on a smart phone how much food is in the fridge; or playing videos on phones directly on to TVs.
At the show, BSH displayed the Siemens 0°C Multi-door Refrigerator, the first complete product developed by its research and development center in China.
The BSH China research center in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, employs more than 350 staff, 98 percent of whom are Chinese. BSH plans to increase investment in China and have 450 or 500 people in the Nanjing center within a year or two, said Gerke.
The Siemens 0°C, which won the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award, represents the growing importance of Chinese R&D for multinationals, say experts.
Xu Dongsheng, General Secretary of China Household Electrical Appliances Association is glad to see foreign brands bring R&D capability in China.
"China's home appliances industry has embarked on a path of economic growth driven by innovation," said Xu.
The Appliance World Expo also saw recognition of the growing might of the Chinese consumer. LG used the show to launch a new 3D TV with a Chinese-style design and wireless connection functionality among TVs, remote controls and smart phones.
The LG LA6800, which has the Chinese name Guanyun - roughly translating as "elegant watching" - has been created specifically for the domestic market.
Its design is partly based on the hull of a Chinese traditional wooden boat, while the remote comes in red, a lucky color in China.
The Guanyun features a built-in app store and wireless connection feature between handsets and TVs - creating a set smarter than many rivals.
This combination of modern technology and traditional culture will boost the sales of the TV, LG officials said at the show.
Meanwhile, Shanghai-based Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc (AMEC) announced during the show that it is to start manufacturing equipment for solid state lighting, a technology mainly used for LED lighting, a new green energy application.
As a semiconductor equipment maker, this is the first time for AMEC to provide equipment for producing chips for home appliances, representing Chinese firms' expansion in a sector previously dominated by overseas companies.
In addition to everyday home appliances, electronic mahjong tables designed for and sold to Chinese consumers also shone at the expo.
Zhejiang Province- based Treyo showcased tables which can connect with iPads and air cleaning devices.
Some tables have a super-thin design, making them easy to transport by car and set up in small rooms.
"They are only sold in China. Luckily, the market is big enough because many people like them," said Fan Xiaodong, brand manager with Treyo.
Each mahjong table costs more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,587).
The company's business is "really good" as the mahjong tables meet people's requirements, said Fan.
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