2000 Appliance News Archives
| Dec 2000 |
|
| -Peachtree Consulting, a publisher of appliance market research is added to the Pro-Trade and Opportunities page. | |
| Nov 2000 |
|
| -Circuit City removed from e-dealer list. Circuit City was warned in August and September that if they followed through with their plan to stop selling major appliances the result would be their removal from this site. They only have themselves to blame. | |
| -Active Buyers Guide added to the Consumer page | |
| -Maytag CEO Lloyd Ward resigned
citing differences with the board. Ward's tenure was marked by the
introduction of high margin innovative appliances and a catastrophic 62%
decline in share price. Late News (January): Mr. Ward has joined the on-line auto retailer iMotors. |
|
| -ApplianceAdvisor inaugurates the Opportunities page for the industry to find and list Business, Technology, Distribution and Employment opportunities | |
| -ApplianceAdvisor adds the Product Placement Digest page. Ever wonder what appliances are on this cooking show or that sitcom? For some reason we do. | |
| -Reports of their imminent death were greatly exaggerated says HomePortfolio.com of Newton, MA who were put on a death watch by Boston Magazine in their November issue. ApplianceAdvisor repeated this report, without further research, on this page from Nov 13 - Nov 20. HomePortfolio strenuously denies this in their letter to ApplianceAdvisor. 2 telephone calls to Boston Magazine were never returned | |
| Oct 2000 |
|
| -Reinhart Metzger will step down
as president of Bosch-Siemens USA (Bosch, Thermador, Gaggenau) effective
October 20. Mr. Metzger has migrated between U.S. Range, Dacor,
Thermador and Thermador's parent company Bosch-Siemens. We expect
that Mr. Metzger has not left to play golf and will be back in the
industry with guns locked and loaded...and perhaps blazing. Late News: Reinhart Metzger has landed at Masco's kitchen cabinet division, Mill's Pride. |
|
| -Grande Cuisine of America, US distributor of the French made knockout (aesthetic & financial) pro range is changing its name to Diva de Provence | |
| -Gourmet Distributing (aka Euro-life Distributing) of New Jersey closed its doors, a victim of the Sub-Zero purchase of Wolf and the resulting change in distribution. Gourmet was last in this section in June as it attempted to recover with the addition of Kenyon cooktops. President Ed Ryan is back in the appliance saddle with the start of his e-dealer www.gourmet-appliances.com | |
| -DCS is recapitalized by Brockway Moran Partners. Expect big factory investments soon. | |
| -SelectAppliance.com added to e-dealer page. SelectAppliance is the handywork of Russell Zipkin, founder of the defunct appliance maker Russell Range. | |
| -Miller-Freeman Sold. The producer of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Trade Show (upcoming in Orlando), the Kitchen and Bath Business Magazine, Kitchen-Bath.com, among others, was sold by United News Media of the UK, to VNU of Holland. | |
| -Consumersearch.com added to Consumer page. Happy to take over the Productopia business. | |
| -Productopia.com was terminated on October 3rd. A shocker. Looks like MySimon purchased the website traffic. | |
| Sep 2000 |
|
| September housecleaning on the
site.... -Electronics.net removed. Deader than ValueAmerica. Anyone want to buy a URL? -Buyitnow.com flees major appliances. Sacked from the site. -Bestbuy.com no longer carries appliances on their site. Bestbuy bye. -Global Mart added to e-dealers. -Inglis, Whirlpool's Canadian subsidiary added to appliance list. -How2 changes2 a b2b site. How2 ceases2 b. -Xpersite.com has changed name to Askme.com. -Roseland Icebox added to Manufacturer and Antique list. -Circuit City continues to carry appliances, obviously impressed with our August threat. -AppliancePlanet.com added to the e-dealer page. -ApplianceZone.com added to Pro-trade page. Plan to revolutionize the European appliance industry. -RationalChoice.com added to Pro-trade page. Bringing e-sales to every brick and mortar dealer. -Appliance411 added to the Consumer page. -Acoustic Society added to Pro-trade page. |
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| Aug 2000 |
|
| -Whirlpool stock downgraded to "sell" because Circuit City has indicated that it will exit the appliance business. ApplianceAdvisor.com will take this space to warn Circuit City that it will lose its link on the "e-dealer" page if it doesn't reconsider this move. | |
| -CBS News and NY Times report that Maytag is in discussions with Electrolux. Iowa fears that Maytag HQ will move to Chicago. Reports are that Maytag has spoken to Sanyo and Bosch-Siemens, but was rebuffed. We guess that the end is near if Maytag is knocking on doors desperately seeking the best deal for the stock holders. | |
| -Quadlux ended production on July 1st of the Flashbake "microwave-like" halogen oven because of production difficulties at Watertown Metal Products, the contract manufacturer. Licensees, Vulcan-Hart and GE (the Advantium oven) will continue production at Watertown. Quadlux is seeking a new manufacturer for its products, but expects the search and development will take a year. | |
| -Pulpkitchen.com added to the e-dealer page | |
| -Appliance Parts Depot and Marcone Parts added to Pro + Trade page | |
| -Not that we were paying attention anymore (see January 2000), but F.Y.I., ValueAmerica has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, closed its website, and let go 185 employees. It will focus on its electronic services business as it probes the meaning of "death by a thousand cuts". | |
| -ApplianceAdvisor.com releases the 2000 Kitchen and Bath Show Appliance Report for unrestricted distribution. | |
| Jul 2000 |
|
| -Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA) added to Pro + Trade page | |
| -Cook@Home appliance added to the e-dealer page | |
| -On the Maytag and Electrolux front: Prudential Securities analyst Nick Heymann, wrote in a report that "the possibility of Electrolux acquiring Maytag this summer has to be viewed as very real". | |
| Jun 2000 |
|
| -Sub-Zero dumps L.W. Howat as its distributor in Louisiana and gives the territory to Jarrell Distribution of Dallas, Texas. Why? | |
| -A single source has informed us that Viking has coaxed Dean Striller, the VP of its Michigan Distributor Trevarrow, to resign to form a new Viking distributorship. We have also been informed that Dean's wife Diane who was also employed by Trevarrow, was immediately terminated. Everything must be confirmed, including territory size and other details. | |
| -Kenyon, a maker of ceramic electric cooktops, begins to develop North American appliance distribution, as they evolve from a maker of yacht appliances to include appliances for the home. Gourmet (aka Euro-Life) of New Jersey, and Anchor of Calgary are signed, several others are in the works. | |
| -Waeco Adler Barbour, maker of 12V and 24V Truck, RV, and portable refrigerators was added to the Appliance list. | |
| -Kitchen and Bath Design News reports that ASKO, the Swedish manufacturer of high end, high efficiency washer, dryers, and dishwashers was acquired by Antonio Merloni group of Fabriano, Italy. Our sources say the price was $90 million. Antonio Merloni is an OEM manufacturer of economy white goods. (not to be mistaken for his brother's company, Merloni Elettrodemestici and his brands of Ariston, Indesit, and Scholtes). On a spectrum of ambition, Antonio Merloni may wish to combine purchasing, manufacturing, and management to reduce costs, OR, they may wish to expand and leverage ASKO's brand and distribution with cooking and refrigeration products. | |
| May 2000 |
|
| -Unconfirmed Rumor of May 31. There has been a rumor floating in Europe that Electrolux (parent of Frigidaire) was interested in buying Maytag. We have heard that the president of Electrolux has denied the rumor. We are presently digging for additional information. See July 2000. | |
| -Brandwise.com closes their doors May 25, a JV of Whirlpool, Hearst, & Boston Consulting ........Un-freaking believable! Snappy web tricks, and appliance content and expertise from Good Housekeeping. The Wall Street Journal says that the backers all backed out. The recent technology stock crash ended IPO hopes. The management team is considering either selling the company or continuing by becoming an information services provider to manufacturers. | |
| -King mini kitchens added to Appliance List | |
| -Zephyr Hoods launches a website........finally | |
| -ApplianceAdvisor's
"2000 Kitchen & Bath Show: Major Appliance
Report" complete NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE: SEE TOP |
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| Apr 2000 |
|
| -Outdoor BBQs added to "Appliances" page | |
| -RepairClinic.com added to Pro+trade page | |
| -Industry wide
distributor / manufacturer chaos continues as a result of the
Sub-Zero/Viking moves in March. -Thermador moves from direct to 2 step distribution in California. It's Southwest distribution is put in limbo. -Viking buys its northwest distributor, Gateway Distributing -FALSE rumor has it that Sub-Zero bought its Midwest distributor -Subzero pulls Wolf from its distributors, transfer it to its own, some smaller distributors may not survive. -Every distributor and every manufacturer is playing a high stakes game of chess. The blood letting will continue for some months to come. |
|
| -ApplianceAdvisor officially launches at the 2000 Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago | |
| -ApplianceAdvisor makes design improvements to site prior to launch | |
| -Analysis of the Nortek monopoly added to site (subsidiaries: Broan, Best, Rangaire, Venmar, Nutone) | |
| Mar 2000 |
|
| -Viking buys Amana's built-in refrigerator line. | |
| -Sub-Zero buys Wolf's residential range line. | |
| -Analysis of the Viking and Sub-Zero purchases released | |
| -How2.com & eHow.com were added to Consumer list. | |
| -Lazy Man BBQ, described as the originator of the outdoor gas BBQ in the 50's, added to Appliance list | |
| -Enterprise-Fawcett, a 150 year old manufacturer of antique wood and oil ranges, added to Appliance list | |
| -Todd antique wood ranges, hand crafted by Chinese peasants, added to the Appliance list. | |
| -ApplianceAdvisor visits the Baltimore Hearth Products Show, and considers a new page for BBQs and Fireplaces. | |
| Feb 2000 |
|
| -Ilve, Italian supplier of Elan's appliances added to Appliance list. | |
| -Cheng Designs, high end hood manufacturer added to Appliance list. | |
| -Zero Appliances, South African manufacturer of absorption refrigerators is added to the Appliance list. Maybe they sell 4 units in North America, but ApplianceAdvisor is nothing if not exhaustive. | |
| -Second "advisor" page (Appliance - Consumer - Advisor) is added to this site. In related news, an electronic security system was installed and Russian guards were hired. | |
| -Added Xpertsite.com, Epinions.com, Dealtime.com to Consumer list, A-1Appliance Parts to Pro+trade list | |
| -Added information link page for all dead, or web-challenged appliance brands | |
| -Added Weber BBQ, & New Hearth bread ovens to the Appliance list | |
| Jan 2000 |
|
| -NuVent, started by Nutone refugees, is added to the manufacturer list | |
| -First "advisor" page (Appliance - Brand - Advisor) is added to this site. No lawsuits so far. | |
| -Patton sold by Rival Co. to Marley Electric Heating. Patton folks un-rivaled in their happiness. | |
| -ValueAmerica.com re-organizes under duress. Founders kicked to the curb. Appliances no longer available. VA removed from the e-dealer links. | |
| -RCA discontinued by GE as a major appliance brand. We do not know when that became effective. | |
| Dec 1999 |
|
| -Grande Cuisine launches a residential cooking line for victims of the "minimum alternate tax". Added to Appliance list. | |
| -Scotsman (icemakers) acquired by Welbilt (also owns Garland) | |
| -President of TurboAir, Mr. Giuliano Ceresani, passes away unexpectedly. |