Haier's Global Business Units
Haier is a successful provider of integrated home appliances, meeting the needs of global consumers through continuous innovation. Haier's businesses include the following six units:
I. White Goods
By proposing the idea of "a full set of home appliances plus one-stop service," Haier provides a single source for home appliance manufacturing, design, production, consulting, purchasing, distribution, installation, and upgrading for a full range of innovative products. Haier can provide thousands of comprehensive home appliance solutions to meet the individual needs of consumers.
Refrigerators
Haier is the world's biggest refrigerator manufacturer. Haier's line of refrigeration units includes five series: single-door, double-door, multi-door, six-door and bisectional doors. Haier's high-end refrigerators are trend leaders in international design. The super-silent refrigerator specially designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games uses semiconductors instead of compressors to allow refrigeration with absolutely no sound. Haier's variable temperature refrigerator, designed especially for the North American market, has brought that market into the "variable temperature era."
In 2007, Haier's three-door refrigerator won Germany's IF Design Award. Haier's Italian-style three-door refrigerator has also earned the Red Dot Home Appliance Design Award.
Air-conditioners
Haier manufactures eight series of air conditioners offering thousands of choices to meet the air conditioning needs of global consumers.
Haier's "oxygen-bar" air conditioner can separate nitrogen from oxygen in the air to keep the oxygen concentration at around 30%, thus giving the room a well-ventilated feel even with the air conditioner switched on. An air conditioner specially designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics automatically filters dust and bacteria.
In 2008, Haier's air conditioner was chosen as one of the "Ten Creative Products Affecting the World" by the World Innovative Economic Research Center, and was the only brand listed from a developing economy.
In the highly competitive US market, Haier air conditioners were rated number one by Consumer Reports magazine, who recommended Haier as a "Best Buy"; the only brand from China so named.
Washing Machines
Haier is the only home appliance manufacturer in the world producing the top-load, front-load, agitator and double-drive washing machines. Haier produces 18 series of washing machines with more than 5000 models.
The double-drive is a new type of washing machine which can realize simultaneous rotations of the impellers and the inner drum, using 50% less water and electricity than other designs. Haier's detergent-free machine is equipped with a diaphragm electrolyzer which electrolyzes running water into low acidic and low alkaline solutions. This low alkaline water replaces detergents to clean dirt and oil stains on the clothes, and the low acidic water is used for sterilization during the rinsing process helping to prevent skin allergies due to chemical residues. The Haier detergent-free washing machine also protects the environment by eliminating the need for environmentally damaging detergents.
Haier's double-impeller washing machine earned the 2007 World Red Dot Design Award. Haier's double drive washing machine is the national standard for China.
Water Heaters
Haier features 12 series of water heaters including electric, solar, and natural gas. Haier's Shockproof Water Heater is a safer alternative to conventional heaters, lowering the effluent voltage of the electric water heater to below 12 V even as it uses a 220 V power supply. Haier's shockproof technology will become an international standard by the end of 2008.
Kitchen Appliances
Haier manufactures four categories of kitchen appliances including dishwashers, ventilation fans, gas stoves, and disinfection cabinets featuring more than 300 different models.
II. Brown Goods (digital and personal product)
Haier's entry into the color television industry in 1997 marked the company's move into the brown goods market. The core of Haier's brown goods unit are television sets, personal computers, and mobile phones as well as digital cameras, and MP3 players. Haier has proposed a home digital solution plan which uses the color television as a display and control center, with the personal computer as a processor, and a smart phone used as the remote control device.
Color TV
Haier's color television unit focuses on digital panel television sets. The company was responsible for producing China's first digital television set; the world's first streaming media television; and the first high-definition network streaming media television.
Haier Color TV has formed a digital technology alliance with Philips and with the German company Mize. It is also cooperating with SARFT (China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television) to develop a series of high-end digital panel televisions. Haier's color televisions have been presented to visiting foreign leaders as Chinese national gifts.
Mobile Phone
Haier produces both GSM and CDMA mobile phones and has developed a series of innovative products including the pen phone, the Karaoke mobile phone and the television mobile phone.
Computer
Haier has established strategic alliances with Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Foxoon, and Proview. It founded the Haier/Intel Research and Development Center for Innovative Products as well as a digital high-definition laboratory featuring over 80 different product lines.
VM PC laptop was named as among the "Top three global fashion computers" in 2008 at the International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The Boyue commercial computer, which includes 20 different patents, passed the Mean Time Between Failure (MIBF) test for 120,000 hours of stable operation as certified by the China National Computer Products Quality Supervising Test Center. Haier has won bids to provide computers to the Beijing International Airport, state banks, and government institutions.
According to the global provider of market intelligence IDC's statistics, Haier laptops are the second largest brand in China, with Haier personal computers placed fourth.
III. Client Solution Business
Haier is a provider of integrated solutions including central air conditioning systems, integrated kitchens, intelligent home appliances, supermarket display cabinets, medical freezers, U-Home solutions, and the Mitsubishi-Haier commercial air conditioner.
Haier has designed and supplied systems for both the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Central Air-conditioner
Haier has one of the most complete and high-tech production bases for central air conditioners in China.
At present, Haier features four categories, 10 series, and over 1000 models of commercial air conditioners including home, business, multi-user, and cold water machine systems.
Haier's central air conditioning systems have been used in the Olympic village at the 2004 Athens Games and at 23 venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympics including: The National "Birds Nest" Stadium, Beijing Fengtai Softball Field, Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing Laoshan Velodrome, Beijing Worker's Stadium, Peking University Gymnasium, Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, Beijing Shooting Range CTF, Beijing University of Science and Technology Gymnasium, Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, The Comprehensive Training Building at Beijing Xuanwu Sports School, Beach Volleyball, Beijing Olympic Command Centre, National Indoor Stadium, Archery Venue, Hockey Field, Media Village, Beijing Capital International Airport, Qingdao Liuting International Airport, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, the Sponsors' Reception Centre and the Beijing Shooting Hotel.
Integrated Kitchen
Haier is Asia's largest provider of integrated kitchens and was the first manufacturer of integrated kitchens to pass ISO9001 certification.
In a 2006 survey on integrated kitchens conducted by the State Council's Development Research center, Haier topped all other brands in terms of reputation, actual sales, expected sales, and consumer satisfaction.
Interior Decoration
Haier has provided interior decoration services to the National Stadium and projects in Angola and Doha. Haier's interior decoration has passed the ISO9001 and ISO14001 Environment Control System.
Medical Equipment
Haier is a development and manufacturing base for low-temperature medical equipment. Haier's minus 86 degree centigrade ultra-low temperature refrigerator was awarded the bid for the PRC Ministry of Health's Bird Flu Prevention and Control Project. The blood refrigerator donated to the Indian Ocean Tsunami relief efforts by the Chinese Ministry of Health was exclusively provided by Haier. Haier has also won a bid to provide equipment to the AIDS Prevention Project administered by the Ministry of Health.
Intelligent Home Appliances
Haier engages in the research and development of chips for intelligent appliances, digital frequency conversion, wireless high-definition technology, audio and video decoder, network communications and technologies of UWB, Bluetooth, RF, electric power carrier wave, within an integrated global resource network. In addition, Haier has established joint development laboratories with several multinational corporations to provide innovative solutions including the smart home system, remote medical diagnosis and treatment, online grocery shopping, fault feedback intelligent security systems, and the smart hotel.
Haier owns many proprietary patents and was responsible for drafting the national standards for network home appliances which were then also submitted as international standards.
Haier launched the U-Home product in 2006 and established U-Home Labs to provide the end-user with new products and innovative network services. The U-Home is regarded as the trend for future home appliances.
"U" stands for 'ubiquitous,' which means anytime and anywhere. In other words: If you are at home, U-Home can connect you to the world; when you are in the world, your home travels with you. U-Home integrated refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, use the Internet, mobile communication and fixed phone networks to allow customers to communicate with their home appliances anytime anywhere and allow customers to control their home appliances and retrieve information remotely. The Haier U-Home system includes home appliance controls, lighting curtain controls, multimedia entertainment, visual talks, security alarms, environmental monitoring together in the world's first wireless-controlled network home appliance system.
IV. Equipment Components Manufacturing Group
The Equipment Components Manufacturing Group is committed to the research, design, and production of high quality components for home appliances, electronic, telecommunication, and automobile manufacturing covering more than ten sectors including molding, plastic injection, sheet metal pressing, computer boards, electric motors, color armored plates, modified plastics, powders, and printed packaging.
The unit produces a variety of plastic injection molds, metal pressing molds, and adsorption froth molds. The plastic injection mold has a production capability of 1,500 sets annually with a weight up to 40 tons.
Haier molds have been approved by the ISO9001 Quality Management System and the ISO14001 Environment Management System.
Plastic and Metal Plate Production Line
Haier's Plastic and Metal Plate production line is one of China's largest plastic processing bases. Its businesses include product development, precise plastic injection molding and post processing, and precise metal molding.
Haier Plastic and Metal Plate Production Line has been approved by the ISO9001 Quality Management System and ISO 40001.
Material Integration Production Line
Material integration researches product appearance and supplies exterior design plans for products, as well as the manufacturing and sales of color armor plates, modified plastic, plastic powder, plastic plates, condensers, and evaporators.
Electric Control Integration
Haier's electric control integration is divided into two parts: intelligent electronics and electric motors. Its businesses include remote-control units (including color televisions, DVD players, air conditioners, water heaters, remote radio frequency controllers, multifunctional remote controllers and card readers); PCBA (including refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines); power supply (including printers, LCD and plasma television sets) and LCD mould sets.
Haier's Electronic Control Integration unit has been approved for ISO90001 certification; 2000 system and ISO140001:2004 system, RoHS, and ESD.
V. Retailing
Haier has established its own home appliance sales channels with Haier branded stores, franchises, and village-level chain stores.
VI. Finance
Haier has tapped into the finance and real estate businesses.