Miele, the world’s most innovative appliance company, is the recipient of two Woman’s Day Specials Kitchen & Bath KB Best New Product Awards. The company was awarded the top honor in the refrigeration category for its new Independence™ Series refrigeration products and in the ventilation category for the motorized DA 424 designer island hood.The competition attracted hundreds of products, which were judged on the basis of excellence in design and innovation. This year’s judges were Leslie Clagett, Senior Editor of Woman’s Day Specials: designer Arthur Tanturri, of Chelsea Fine Custom Kitchens and Bill Partsch, Associate Editor of Kitchens & Baths. “All products were evaluated on the basis of technological advancement and aesthetic appeal,” said Clagett.

All of the winning products were featured in the February issue of Woman’s Day Kitchens and Baths. Awards will be presented at the annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) in Chicago, April 2008.

“We are proud to accept these prestigious awards from one of the most respected publications in the industry,” said Paul McCormack, Senior Marketing Manager at Miele. “It’s an affirmation of Miele’s commitment to producing high performance, quality products that are durable, green and packaged in an innovative design blending form and function.”

Independence™ Series – Judge’s Comments:
“Finally, we have a 30” counter depth, fully integrated, well-designed refrigerator – at the right price,” states Arthur Tanturri, of Chelsea Fine Custom Kitchens and judge for the KB Awards. “Hands on a slam dunk. Everything is flush and uniform, plus the size at 30” is the perfect width. In our world, 36” is too big and 24” is too small. Miele is really listening to designers when they bring new products to market. It makes our lives easier as high-end kitchen designers. We can finish our jobs with the right elements. We are selling aesthetics and practicality. Things like this product enable us a lot more.”

A feast for the eyes… Miele’s new Independence™ Series is here and luxury refrigeration, as we know it, will be forever better. Independence™ embodies Miele’s legendary quality and innovation… from its high performance dual-compressor system and intuitive MasterCool™ touch controls to its patented Wi-Fi RemoteVision™ technology that delivers total peace of mind as it protects valuable food and wine investments. Estimated retail price listed for a 30” bottom mount combination refrigerator / freezer with stainless steel door panels is $7,295.  Retail prices for the entire assortment will be made public in late April when the products are on retail display, but may be provided upon request for qualified news stories.

DA 424 V Ventilation Hood – Judge’s Comments:
“At last, a hood that won’t mess up sight lines as the telescopic hood elevates out of the way when not in use,” states Tanturri. “Our kitchens look like furniture and especially for open settings, you want to enjoy the aesthetic value. When you are cooking certain foods with a lot of heat, steam or smoke – you want the ventilation close to flame – but you don’t want to leave it there. Most ventilation is installed up too high because of the aesthetic – and then it doesn’t work effectively. This product just makes sense. It’s a really good invention. The best inventions are the simplest ones.”

Miele’s height-adjustable DA 424 V island ventilation hood showcases a unique motorized height adjustment feature, which enables the hood to glide up, out of the way, or down, closer to the cooktop when needed. A simple touch to the controls smoothly shifts the product to the perfect elevation to remove smoke and odors, or to a more ergonomic level for the cook. Estimated retail price listed as $4,099 and is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter 2008.

For the third year in a row, Whirlpool has received the Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award.  Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping people save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.  The award honors Whirlpool Corporation’s outstanding contribution to providing innovative, efficient products that help consumers reduce utility bills and greenhouse gas emissions.

Whirlpool offers consumers the largest breadth of ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. Its more than 700 innovative models include:

• The Whirlpool Duet steam washer. The washer naturally steams away tough stains, from grass to grease, without pre-treating. This model also saves consumers 73 percent water and 77 percent energy, compared to top-load washers manufactured before 2004, and using the normal cycle.
• The Whirlpool Cabrio Steam dryer combines mist and heat in the dryer to naturally steam away wrinkles and odors, reducing trips to the dry cleaner and providing front-load laundry efficiency in a top-load configuration.
• Energy efficient refrigeration combined with flexible technology options through the Whirlpool Centralpark connection. The refrigerator offers a plug-and-play platform right on the door, providing support to consumer electronics including a digital picture frame and digital music player without compromising on energy efficiency.
• The Maytag Bravos high-efficiency, large-capacity top-load washer. The Bravos system features an impeller wash system with Sensi-Care technology and a commercial-grade stainless-steel wash basket – providing the thorough, dependable clean of a front-load system in a top-load configuration.
• The Maytag EPICz high-efficiency front-load washer’s space-saving design, providing dependable performance features and commercial-grade components, is one of the most energy efficient in the industry. The washer received NSF International (formerly National Sanitation Foundation) certification for its sanitary cycle, which heats wash water up to 153-degrees Fahrenheit.
• The Maytag brand dishwasher with a SteamClean option. SteamClean delivers enhanced cleaning performance on glassware for soil and spot removal. Whirlpool Corporation was the first in the appliance industry to launch a steam option in dishwashers.
• A new SteamClean option for Jenn-Air dishwashers. The SteamClean option enhances an existing wash cycle, such as the China/Crystal cycle, with improved soil and spot cleaning to produce an even more lustrous shine. In addition to steam, these models also have a new silent sound package, making an already quiet, energy efficient dishwasher even quieter.

For more information, see the Whirlpool Press Release here.

Today the company announced that it had double-digit sales growth in 2007 in North America, as it has since 2003. This growth is due in part to the large quantity of new appliances launched in 2007.

The BHS line of products are Thermador, Bosch, Siemens and Gaggenau. Much of the 2007 growth came from the new Bosch line of front-loading washers and dishwashers.

The company was also awarded the 2007 Excellence in Energy Star Promotion Award and 2007 Annual Flex Your Power Award. They were also ranked highest in customer satisfaction for the second consecutive year by J.D. Power and Associates in the dishwasher category of the 2007 Major Home Appliance Study.

LG has responded to Whirlpools charge of patent infringement with the statement that they will respond “actively” to the charge. Huh? What does that mean?

From Reuters:

“We will file a report to refute the charge with the ITC,” said Na Joo-young, an LG spokeswoman. “We will respond actively, but the process will take a long time.”

LG had no plan to file a counter suit over the case, she added.

I’m not sure what this means but I suspect that LG plans to mire this in legal proceedings which essentially means that they get to continue doing whatever they want and there is little that Whirlpool can do about it.  Should be fun to watch though.

Sub Zeros, often the size of a mid-sized truck are often looked at as massive energy consumers. They are beautiful and if you’ve got the kitchen for it, and the bottomless pocketbook to spend on it – why not? But – how much energy do they consume? Are they going to do more damage to the environment than a more conventional appliance?

Getwithgreen.com recently did a nice little review on the energy use of Sub Zero’s. I was surprised by how good a rating they have – plus they use partly recycled plastics. They might look like SUV’s but they consume like a compact. Here are some of the features noted in the article:

• The largest Sub-Zero refrigerator consumes less power than a 100-watt bulb, due to dual refrigeration technology.
• Sub-Zero products are manufactured in the United States, which reduces the environmental impact caused by international shipping of materials and parts.
• Sub-Zero has worked hard to find/use energy efficient motors.
• All refrigerant used is non-ozone depleting.
• All vehicles used in the production are electric or propane powered.
• Aggressive recycling programs at the factory for all scrap materials.

You can read the full article here.

NEW Customer Service Companies, Inc. has purchased Servicebench. (NEW is a privately-held, independent third-party administrator of extended service plans, buyer protection services and product support programs.)  I’m not sure that we as service techs will see any changes though. My wish list for Servicebench is that they take advantage of the mobile technologies out there and make Servicebench more accessible from mobile communication devices. Maybe a new parent company will make this happen.

From the Servicebench Press Release.

About N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW)

NEW is the leading provider of extended service plans, buyer protection services and product support, providing coverage to more than 100 million consumers worldwide. Founded in 1983 with headquarters in Sterling, Va., NEW provides award-winning post-sale consumer care for leading retailers, consumer service providers, wireless carriers and financial services firms. For more information, please visit NEW at www.newcorp.com or call 1-800 WHAT’S NEW (1-800-942-8763).

About ServiceBench

ServiceBench is a leading provider of service management solutions that integrate post-sales service activities including service call management, field service management, parts management, claims management and service contract management. The ServiceBench on-demand system easily enables service transactions between manufacturers, retailers or extended warranty providers and their network of parts suppliers, distributors and service providers. ServiceBench solutions provide the essential foundation to manage the service chain for profit and competitive advantage. ServiceBench’s existing investors include JMI Equity, Valhalla Partners and NextGen Capital. For more information, please visit www.servicebench.com.

Yesterday, Whirlpool filed copyright infringement proceedings with the International Trade Commission against LG. The press release does not state the specific technology that Whirlpool feels has been infringed but it seems to be with their refrigerators.

The patents protect proprietary technologies associated with the fastest growing segments in refrigeration — French Door Bottom Mount, Bottom (freezer) Mount, and select Side-by-side refrigerators — Whirlpool products that deliver innovative features consumers want:

* Reliable external ice and water dispensing through the door
* Freezer drawer support structure that allows easy organization and compartment access

For more information see the Whirlpool Press Release.

The Whirlpool Corp. press release gives more information on the onboard computer systems planned for their refrigerator.

In addition to the Clio(R) Vu by Data Evolution (see previous post here), other included gadgets are:

CEIVA Digital Photo Frame

Designed for the centralpark(TM) connection, the frame is Wi-Fi ready and features an 8″ high- resolution LCD screen with a built-in card reader. With on-screen menus, the frame is easy to use and capable of automatically receiving photos sent by camera phone or through an online CEIVA account.

Brandmotion iPod Speaker System

Brandmotion, a current “Made for iPod” Apple licensee, and authorized iPod accessory manufacturer created a self-charging, high-quality iPod docking system with dual stereo speakers for use with the centralpark(TM) connection. The docking station is specifically designed for use in the kitchen with four large membrane-type buttons for easy use and cleanup. The docking station is manufactured to securely hold any size iPod and withstand the frequent opening and closing of the freezer door.

Cozi Family Organizational Software

Cozi, a free software and Web service which helps busy families manage their schedules, create shopping and to-do lists, organize household chores and stay in communication, is one of Whirlpool brand’s latest partners. When used with the centralpark(TM) connection, Cozi is able to provide easy-to-use solutions in the middle of the action, right on the refrigerator. In addition to Cozi’s calendar, photo and messaging features, Whirlpool consumers will find it especially helpful to add items to the Cozi Shopping List right from their kitchen and then receive the list as a text message on their mobile phone, when away from home. With Cozi, families stay coordinated, schedules are updated, groceries are purchased — all in an effort to simplify and enjoy family life.

Quartet(R) Qnote(TM) Message Center by Acco Brands

The Quartet(R) Qnote(TM) Message Center enables families to share and communicate important messages from the kitchen. Quartet, maker of visual solutions for over 50 years, designed the Qnote Message Center specifically for the centralpark(TM) connection. The message center, made of durable tempered glass, offers a superior dry-erase writing surface and ambient surface illumination to bring messages to light. Interchangeable templates offer customizable layouts to meet each family’s individual lifestyles and unique tastes. A digital clock with date and timer, and a sliding storage drawer to keep documents like schedules and menus handy, are all part of Qnote’s organizational features.

To see more about the Centralpark connection system goto whirlpool.com/centralpark.

This news came out a couple of weeks ago – but for those of you who don’t know, Leon’s has purchased Appliance Canada.

Here is a news excerpt from Yahoo Finance:

Leon’s Furniture Limited is pleased to announce that it has completed its purchase of the assets of Appliance Canada Ltd. and retained the services of their management and employees. Appliance Canada will operate as a separate division of Leon’s Furniture Limited acting as its wholesale distribution arm for sales of major appliances to builders and apartment landlords. It will also continue the retail selling of higher end appliances to the public.