Haier

Haier Group Corporation, commonly known as Haier, is a Chinese multinational manufacturer of consumer electronics and home appliances. It is headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong Province, and operates manufacturing facilities, research and development centers, and sales networks around the world.

Haier began in 1984 as Qingdao Refrigerator Co., Ltd., under the leadership of Zhang Ruimin. Through a focus on quality management and organizational reform, the company expanded beyond refrigerators into a broad range of appliances and consumer electronics. A notable moment in its early development was the public destruction of defective products in 1985, which became a symbol of its commitment to quality.

From the 1990s onward Haier pursued international expansion and reorganized into Haier Group as it grew into a global conglomerate. It has grown through the establishment of global manufacturing and through strategic acquisitions and partnerships.

In 2012 Haier acquired Fisher & Paykel Appliances of New Zealand, expanding its presence in Oceania and beyond. In 2016 Haier completed the acquisition of GE Appliances from General Electric, significantly expanding its North American footprint. In 2019 Haier Europe completed the acquisition of the Candy Hoover Group, strengthening its European manufacturing and brand portfolio.

Haier has positioned itself as a provider of Internet of Things-enabled smart home solutions, developing the Haier Smart Home ecosystem and COSMOPlat, an industrial internet platform that aims to connect products, data, and users across manufacturing and consumer channels.

Today Haier designs, manufactures, and markets a wide array of home appliances and consumer electronics and maintains one of the largest global manufacturing and distribution networks in the industry.