By James Wells
SYDNEY: Electrolux floor care and small appliances CEO, Magnus Yngen, has announced that he will launch a range of Electrolux small appliances into the Australian market in 2007.
“Small kitchen appliances are sold in exactly the way as floorcare, makes sense to get into that market,” Yngen said.
“In the floorcare business, most of our competitors are regional. Europeans are mainly in Europe and the Americans are mainly in America. If you look at us as a global business, it is fair to say that we have the best distribution in the world.
“This will not be a big bang launch and we are going to fold in products starting with limited distribution and a limited range, not broad based entry point products. The limited range will offer upscaled features and support innovative design and marketing communication.
“As a brand, Electrolux is in the home and more specifically we are also in the kitchen. We are strong in small kitchen appliances in selected markets including coffee with drip filters, espresso and fully automatic espresso as well as toasters, blenders and kettles.”
Yngen said that by using consumer insights, developing new product categories in small appliances is definitely possible.
“Consumer needs should take us rather than technology. Consumers will lead us there. It is extremely exciting to conduct work into consumer insights as you come across things that are suddenly business opportunities.
“For our engineers to have a consumer led direction, they get really excited and creativity flows. We are not quite a Procter & Gamble yet, but we are more than half way to being a more brand focused company than a more industrial company.”