Outlines key priorities.

Electrolux New Zealand General Manager of Home Care and Small Domestic Appliances (SDA), Alan Dalton, will now also oversee the Home Care and SDA categories in Australia.

Dalton joined Electrolux in 2004 as Business Development Manager (BDM) for major appliances. One year later, he was appointed General Manager for SDA in New Zealand.

His key responsibilities include looking for new business opportunities, building on existing relationships, as well as bringing new and innovative product to market.

In an exclusive interview with Appliance Retailer, Dalton said the floorcare category is his first priority, with more to come from SDA in the near future.

“Our floorcare business will be my main focus. It is a very different market in comparison to New Zealand. Cordless stick vacuums are the fastest growing category in floorcare in Australia and New Zealand, but the New Zealand market is still predominantly canister vacuum cleaners (currently) as homes tend to have more carpet.

“Across both markets, consumers are demanding a deep clean product and they want longer battery life. The robotic vacuum market is alive there. Electrolux sits at the premium end of the category but we are working on our positioning as we see more volume in the mid-market.”

When asked about growth in connectivity and how this fits into the Electrolux home care business, he said: “The smart home is a major pillar for the overall Electrolux business – whether it be small appliances or major appliances – we are definitely part of it”.

The Electrolux Pure F9 cordless vacuum made its debut in Europe in September, and Dalton has confirmed plans for a Q1 2019 launch in Australia with pricing to be confirmed. “It is a fantastic product that can be used to clean a whole house on just one charge and on all floor coverings,” he said.

Product aside, Dalton will review the business’ approach to customer care and after sales support and bring in a new model that has been successful in other markets. He said he will also commit more time to store visits to meet with trade partners.

“We are open for business. We have had a bumpy ride but we have innovation in the pipeline. We are looking for partners who want to work with us as we invest back into floorcare and SDA,” he said.

“I am not coming over to replicate what we have done in New Zealand. I respect that the Australian market is completely different and I want to do things differently. Consumer’s shopping behaviour has changed over the years and continues to evolve.

“There is growth in online purchases and consumers are more likely to purchase their vacuum cleaner or small appliance online, than what they are their television or refrigerator. It is a major trend in Europe and it is a clear trend that we see locally.  I look forward to working with our business partners to grow the Electrolux brand both in-store and online.”