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GE Appliances

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GE Appliances
GE Appliances[1]
Company typeJoint venture
IndustryManufacturing
Founded1905; 119 years ago (1905), in Schenectady, New York, U.S.
HeadquartersLouisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Area served
North America
Key people
ProductsHome appliances
Owners
Number of employees
12,000, including 6,000 at Appliance Park
Websitegeappliancesco.com
Footnotes / references
[2]

GE Appliances is an American home appliance manufacturer based in Louisville, Kentucky. It has been majority-owned by Chinese multinational home appliances company Haier since 2016. The company was owned by General Electric until 2016, and it was previously known as GE Appliances & Lighting and GE Consumer & Industrial. Haier has the right to use the GE brand name until 2056.[3]

Today GE Appliances is one of the largest appliance companies in the United States and manufactures appliances under several brands,[4] including GE, GE Profile, Café, Monogram, Haier and Hotpoint (Americas only, European rights held by Whirlpool Corporation). The company also owns FirstBuild, a co-creation community and micro-factory[5] on the University of Louisville's campus in Louisville, Kentucky. Another FirstBuild location is in South Korea, and a FirstBuild location in India opened its doors in 2019.[6]

In 2023, GE Appliances expanded its innovation footprint with the opening of CoCREATE, a new facility in Stamford, Connecticut, aimed at fostering community collaboration and advancing product development. This location offers a space for local entrepreneurs, students, and community members to work with GE Appliances on prototype development and small-batch manufacturing, aligning with the company’s commitment to co-creation and innovation in the appliance industry.[7]

History

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GE Appliances was originally a part of General Electric, a company which began marketing a full roster of heating and cooking products in 1907.[8] In January 2004, it became part of GE Consumer & Industrial when GE Consumer Products (founded in 1905) merged with GE Industrial Systems (founded in 1930) to form GE Consumer & Industrial. From 2010 to late 2014, GE Appliances & Lighting was a sub-business under GE Home & Business Solutions.[9]

On September 8, 2014, General Electric agreed to sell the company to Electrolux, a Swedish appliance manufacturer and the second-largest consumer appliance manufacturer after Whirlpool Corporation, for US$3.3 billion in cash. The deal carried a US$175 million termination fee clause if Electrolux was unable to complete the acquisition. The transaction was terminated in December 2015 after the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to block the deal on concerns that, along with Whirlpool, the combined company would control 90% of the "do-it-yourself" market for kitchen appliances sold by home construction retailers.[10]

On June 6, 2016, Haier and KKR acquired GE Appliances for $5.6 billion. Under the terms of the sale, Haier would have the right to use the GE brand name until 2056. GE Appliances launched a refreshed tagline (“good things, for life”) in 2017,[11] a nod to its history with General Electric, which used the tagline “we bring good things to life” from 1979 to 2003.

GE Appliances now operates as an independent subsidiary and remains headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.[12][13]

GE Appliance Park

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In 1951, construction began in Louisville, Kentucky on Appliance Park, the now 750-acre (300-ha) manufacturing facility that employs 8,100 people.[14] In 2007, the 9,000 sq ft (840 m2) Monogram Experience Center opened to provide architects, designers, contractors, and other home-industry professionals the opportunity to interact with appliances from the Monogram Collection. In 2011, a data center with platinum certification by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design was opened. Building 6 was destroyed by an 8-alarm fire on the morning of April 3, 2015. In 2017, the company invested $30 million to construct a new washer and dryer manufacturing line. In 2017, the company moved the Supplier Distribution Center operated by Derby Supply Chain Solutions to AP2. In 2018, the company announced a $200 million investment in its laundry and dishwasher product facilities.

In 2023, Appliance Park marked 70 years of manufacturing by hosting state and local leaders to announce the completion of a $450 million investment, unveiling new assembly lines in its dishwasher plant.[15]

2015 fire

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A "mammoth" fire occurred on the morning of April 3, 2015 at the Appliance Park. Building 6 (AP6) partially collapsed and was predicted to be a total loss.[16] The 6-acre (24,000 m2) building, located at 4000 Buechel Bank Road, was mostly being used for storage, with portions leased to GE suppliers and logistics partners. More than 200 firefighters from 18 local agencies were involved in fighting the eight-alarm fire, which led to a production halt and evacuation of the other buildings in the complex. No injuries or fatalities were reported, but "shelter in place" orders were issued for homes and businesses within a 2-mile (3.2 km) radius (later reduced to a one-half mile radius) of the Appliance Park due to noxious and acrid smoke. No hazardous materials were known to be stored at the site. Because of the huge volume of smoke, gases and runoff from burning plastics and other materials the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection and USEPA were called in to monitor emissions from the fire and found they were not toxic. However, area residents reported leaf-size pieces of ash and burned insulation materials in their yards. The cause of the fire remained unclear; a local fire chief said that investigators were leaning toward a lightning strike as the probable cause.

The fire was contained, but not extinguished, by the early afternoon of April 3.[17] A statement issued by GE later that day indicated that production at the complex would remain halted over the weekend and at least through the end of the following week as the company conducted "a thorough evaluation of all other buildings" and replenished inventories of parts destroyed by the fire. The shelter-in-place order was canceled for residents within one-half mile of the site the following Sunday, April 5.

Two years following the fire, an employee-led company initiative turned the site into a sustainable green space that contains native grasses, trees, and wildlife.[18]

Manufacturing facilities and investments

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GE Appliances’ largest manufacturing site, Appliance Park facility in Louisville, Kentucky, produces washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and bottom-freezer refrigerators. The company also operates manufacturing sites in four states including Decatur, Alabama – which produces top freezer refrigerators; LaFayette, Georgia – cooking products; Selmer, Tennessee – Monogram built-in refrigerators and Zoneline PTACs, and Camden, South Carolina – water heating products. The facilities in LaFayette and Selmer are wholly owned subsidiaries of GE Appliances.[19] The company also produces small appliances through small-batch manufacturing at its microfactories, including FirstBuild in Kentucky and CoCREATE in Connecticut.[20]

Since 2016, GE Appliances has launched new businesses and added U.S. investments. The company announced it would make major investments in its U.S. facilities including $200 million into Appliance Park[21] in Louisville, $150 million investment in new distribution centers[22] in Dallas, Denver, Northern Georgia, Northern California, and $115 million in its manufacturing facility in Decatur, Alabama.[23]

In 2020, the company announced it would expand beyond major household goods and begin producing small appliances, including coffee makers, toasters, toaster ovens, and blenders.[24]

In 2021, GE Appliances created a dedicated team for the recreational living sector, expanding its RV-focused product innovations. Based in Elkhart, Indiana, GE Appliances Recreational Living produces products for motorhomes and campers.[25]

In the same year, GE Appliances launched an Air & Water Solutions division focused on residential and light commercial water heaters, water filtration, HVAC, and ductless heating and cooling solutions.[26] In 2022, the company made a $70 million investment to build gas water heaters in Camden, South Carolina.[27]

In 2023, GE Appliances announced two new dishwasher manufacturing lines that completed a $450 million investment announced at Appliance Park in late 2021.[28]

The company also marked 50 years of building cooking products at its Roper subsidiary in Georgia by investing $118 million in new assembly lines, presses, and workforce programs.[29] Later in the year, GE Appliances officially opened its CoCREATE facility in Connecticut, featuring a small appliance microfactory, community makerspace, test kitchen, and design center.[30]

Innovation and technology

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GE Appliances has a long history of cooking innovation and is responsible for creating the first self-cleaning oven as well as the first over-the-range microwave.[31] GE Appliances was also the first manufacturer to launch a suite of WiFi-connected appliances as well as the first suite of appliances that work with IFTTT.[32] As voice assistants became more common, GE Appliances became the first U.S. manufacturer to have its appliances work with Amazon Echo[33] (2017) and Google Home[34] (2017). The company's efforts in the connected space earned it the title of “Smart Appliance Company of the Year” in the 2019 IoT Breakthrough Awards Program.[35]

In 2023, TIME magazine included the GE Profile Smart Mixer in its list of Best Inventions.[36] In 2024, TIME also recognized the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker on this list.[37]

GE Appliances co-founded the Home Connectivity Alliance to support interoperability among various smart home devices.[38] The company also released the GE Profile UltraFast Combo with ventless heat pump technology, a washer-dryer appliance recognized with the KBIS Editors’ Choice Award.[39]

In 2024, the company introduced the EcoBalance Home System, a platform enabling homeowners to monitor and manage energy usage across home systems.[40]

Also in 2024, Fast Company named GE Appliances among the “Most Innovative Companies.” [41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "GE Appliances, A Haier Company". Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "Leadership | GE Appliances". geappliances.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  3. ^ "GE Appliance expansion brings 250 new jobs to Kentucky". The Center Square. 2021.
  4. ^ "GE Appliances: good start for the 'house of brands'". Home Appliances World. April 10, 2018. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Wollerton, Megan. "GE's new microfactory unveils four quirky appliance concepts". CNET. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  6. ^ Thompson, Ashlee Clark. "GE Appliances' FirstBuild microfactory expands to India". CNET. Archived from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  7. ^ "GE Appliances CoCREATE Facility is a Hub for Community Innovation". Supply Chain Management Review. 2023.
  8. ^ "GE appliances get a Chinese owner in U.S. state of mind". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  9. ^ Glader, Paul (January 5, 2010). "GE Realigns Appliances, Lighting Unit". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  10. ^ Mann, Ted; Hansegard, Jens (December 7, 2015). "GE Terminates Sale of Appliances Business to Electrolux". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  11. ^ Downs, Jere. "GE Appliances sold to Haier". The Courier-Journal. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  12. ^ "Haier Group Enters into MoU for Global Strategic Partnership with General Electric Qingdao Haier Will Acquire GE Appliances Business-Haier Malaysia". Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  13. ^ David A. Mann (January 15, 2016). "GE confirms $5.4 billion deal on appliance unit". Louisville Business First. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  14. ^ "U.S. and Global Operations". GE Appliances Operations. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022. GE Appliances has its largest operations at Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky., our home since 1951. The 750-acre facility, where 8,100 team members design and build appliances and support corporate operations.
  15. ^ "GE Appliances completes $450 million investment, announces new tech". Courier-Journal. 2023.
  16. ^ Mann, Ted (April 3, 2015). "Fire Destroys GE Storage Facility at Louisville Appliance Park". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Stallings, Amy. "Fire at GE plant contained but will continue burning". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  18. ^ Maher, Emily (October 4, 2017). "New greenspace opens at GE Appliance Park fire site". WLKY. Archived from the original on July 30, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  19. ^ Pressroom, GE Appliances. "Company Facts". GE Appliances Pressroom. Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  20. ^ "The Future of Manufacturing at GE Appliances". Supply Chain Management Review. 2023.
  21. ^ Thompson, Ashlee Clark. "GE Appliances expands Kentucky production with $200 million investment". CNET. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  22. ^ "Major appliance manufacturer invests in North Texas with new facility". bizjournals.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  23. ^ WTVY (June 29, 2018). "Governor Ivey Announces GE Appliances to create 255 jobs with expansion in Decatur". wtvy.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  24. ^ "GE is bringing small appliances back".
  25. ^ "GE Appliances and Midwest Sales & Services Join Forces to Enhance Capabilities". RV-Pro. 2021.
  26. ^ "GE Exhibits New Air and Water Solutions Division". ACHR News. 2021.
  27. ^ "GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions Expands RealMax Gas Water Heater Series with Ultra-Low NOx and Power Vent Options". Plumbing Perspective. 2022.
  28. ^ WLKY Digital Team (October 12, 2023). "GE Appliances celebrates completion of $450 million dishwasher project at Appliance Park". WLKY. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  29. ^ "GE Appliances Invests in Automation at Roper Cooking Factory". Assembly Magazine. 2023.
  30. ^ "GE Appliances opens CoCREATE center in Stamford". CT Insider. 2023.
  31. ^ "GE's Appliance Park campus firsts include self-cleaning oven, above-the-range microwave". Designers Today. 2023.
  32. ^ "GE is First Manufacturer with Suite of Connected Appliances on IFTTT | TecHome Builder". Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  33. ^ "GE Appliances' 'Super-Skill' for Alexa Enables Voice Control of Multiple Appliances : Alexa Blogs". developer.amazon.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  34. ^ "WiFi Connected GE Appliances Offer Seamless Google Assistant Integration". builderonline.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  35. ^ GmbH, finanzen net. "GE Appliances Wins Smart Appliance Company of the Year in 2019 IoT Breakthrough Awards Program | Markets Insider". markets.businessinsider.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  36. ^ "GE Profile Smart Mixer named to TIME's Best Inventions of 2023". TIME. 2023.
  37. ^ "GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker named to TIME's Best Inventions of the Year 2024". TIME. 2024.
  38. ^ "GE Appliances is a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance". Gearbrain. 2022.
  39. ^ "GE Profile UltraFast Combo with ventless heat pump technology". USA Today. 2023.
  40. ^ "GE Appliances Debuts EcoBalance and Its Vision of the Kitchen as an Integral Part of the Home's Energy Management Network". The Spoon. 2024.
  41. ^ "GE Appliances named one of the most innovative companies by Fast Company in 2024". Fast Company. 2024.
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