China's Haier goes to Russia with big plan

Chinese and Russian managers pose for a group photo at the launch of Haier Group's refrigerator factory at Kamsky Industrial Park, Naberezhnye Chelny, an important industrial city in the Russian province of Tatarstan.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Haier has always made efforts to implement "One Belt and One Road" initiative and establish manufacturing bases in Russia. It began to enter the Russian market in 2008 and carried out deep research in the local market, the company said.

It launched large-capacity and energy-efficient refrigerators, with a height of 1.9 to 2.0 meters, to meet specific needs and eating habits of Russian consumers.

Haier's 2015 revenue in Russia was ten times that of the 2010 figure. Turnover of home appliances dropped by 15 percent last year, while Haier's turnover increased by 78 percent.

In 2015, the specialists from Naberezhnye Chelny had undergone training at Haier factories in Shandong province of China and have since returned to their home base to put their knowledge to practice.

Yannick Fierling, chief executive officer for Europe operations of Haier, said the new factory would help the company to improve productivity and be more proactive towards the European market. The key to successful globalization is successful localization and getting closer to target markets and end-users, he said.

Zhou Nan, deputy secretary general in the home appliances branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, said: "The time for Chinese home appliances (to shine in Russia) is coming. On one hand, the appliance makers need to improve their global layouts; on the other, they need to speed up the pace of going abroad by virtue of the Belt and Road Initiative."

Xie Chuanjiao contributed to this story.