Sources inform ''Globes'' that China's Haier Electronics Group Co. Ltd. (HKSE: 1169) wants set up its Israeli development center in Tel Aviv and is seeking a suitable site in Ramat Hahayal. The company plans to recruit more than 100 employees for the center.
Newpan VP business development Yaron Sfadia, who is handling the matter for Haier, noted, "Although the Israeli market is small, Haier is willing to accommodate us and adapt complete product lines to the Israeli market. This is not something that should be taken for granted."
Haier president Zhang Rhiumin commented on the manufacture of Israeli refrigerators as part of the company's strategy. If one thought that South Korea's LG Electronics' attitude towards Israel was amazing, Chinese attitudes towards Jews is astonishing.
Haier notes that Jews further developed the refrigerator to produce cold water, which led to the development of refrigerators with freezer compartment on the bottom designed for the Indian market. It also notes that in the US, there are different uses for the freezer, which gave rise to refrigerators with two freezers, and that people in London have less space for a washing machine, which led to the development of small and amusing washing machines for the British and Japanese markets.
This policy of investigating usage patterns in different countries and manufacturing specialized products for them, which Haier says has greatly boosted sales, is based on R&D centers around the world, a network that the Israeli center will soon join.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 12, 2008
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