MARKET VIEW: Ros Collins

20 January 2010

Ros Collins, senior product manager home laundry, Siemens outlines her views of the washing machine market...

The market for front-loading automatic washing machines - the dominant appliance in the home laundry sector - is down 5.8% over the past 52 weeks and continues to remain at a lower level than we have seen for many years, thanks to the economic climate.

In addition, the market structure has changed with a noticeable move towards larger capacities where machines of 8kg or more now hold 13% of the market compared with around 8% a year ago.The success of large capacity machines has been driven by a number of key benefits, such as the significant energy savings achieved from less frequent washing and the ability to wash larger loads or specific large items like duvet

However, the average load still remains little more than 5kg.Consumers are embracing the larger capacity machines not only because they provide greater flexibility, irrespective of the size of household, but also because of the textile care delivered in terms of less creasing, as well as a better overall wash performance. Large capacity dryers also help keep creasing to a minimum, which means less ironing.

Washer dryers have shown a double-digit decline over the past year with a major contributory factor being the slow- down in new property development where these products are normally particularly strong performers.The dryer market has also suffered a major decline down 21%, with vented dryers losing out to condensers.There is evidence of a slight improvement in consumer confidence, so we would envisage that the market will bottom out in 2010, with a return to growth possibly by the end of 2010.

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MARKET VIEW: Ros Collins	Back
20 January 2010 Ros Collins, senior product manager home laundry, Siemens outlines her views of the washing machine market... The market for front-loading automatic washing machines - the dominant appliance in the home laundry sector - is down 5.8% over the past 52 weeks and continues to remain at a lower level than we have seen for many years, thanks to the economic climate. In addition, the market structure has changed with a noticeable move towards larger capacities where machines of 8kg or more now hold 13% of the market compared with around 8% a year ago.The success of large capacity machines has been driven by a number of key benefits, such as the significant energy savings achieved from less frequent washing and the ability to wash larger loads or specific large items like duvet However, the average load still remains little more than 5kg.Consumers are embracing the larger capacity machines not only because they provide greater flexibility, irrespective of the size of household, but also because of the textile care delivered in terms of less creasing, as well as a better overall wash performance. Large capacity dryers also help keep creasing to a minimum, which means less ironing. Washer dryers have shown a double-digit decline over the past year with a major contributory factor being the slow- down in new property development where these products are normally particularly strong performers.The dryer market has also suffered a major decline down 21%, with vented dryers losing out to condensers.There is evidence of a slight improvement in consumer confidence, so we would envisage that the market will bottom out in 2010, with a return to growth possibly by the end of 2010.