Midea, the Chinese home appliance heavyweight, recently revealed that it accelerated its production operations to deliver 20,000 air conditioning units to France in a span of seven days. This was in response to the escalating demand spurred by the severe heatwave that is engulfing Europe.
In 2020, Midea led China’s air conditioning sector in terms of market share. It was able to double its production capacity to 6,000 portable units each day by initiating a fresh production line on July 7. As a result, the company managed to finish manufacturing all 20,000 units in just three and a half days. Midea prioritized the French order by designating additional labor and production capacity, even while its factories were operating at full tilt to satisfy local demand.
The ongoing heatwave in Europe has sparked a significant surge in demand for Chinese-made home appliances. Midea Group reported that sales of a portable split air conditioner, specifically designed for the European market, have exceeded 200,000 units this year, marking a twofold increase from the previous year. Furthermore, this particular model has sold out in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Official data disclosed that more than 10,000 extra deaths were reported in European countries during the extraordinary heatwave that swarmed the western part of the continent in late June. The majority of these, over 9,000, were among individuals aged 65 and above.
Alibaba, the e-commerce juggernaut, has reported three-figure growth in sales of air conditioners and fans on its overseas platforms. On AliExpress, Alibaba’s international retail platform, warehouse inventory of a 2.35-kilowatt Midea air conditioner, which was released in Germany in June, was entirely sold out by Thursday.
The trend was significantly evident in southern Europe as well. In Spain, fan sales skyrocketed by 94% between June 17 and 23 compared to the same period in May. Meanwhile, Italy witnessed a 100% month-on-month surge in sales of cooling appliances and sun-protection apparel in June.
The rush by European consumers was also mirrored on Alibaba.com, the company’s business-to-business platform, displaying urgent procurement by local merchants. In June, air conditioner orders in Spain almost doubled from a year earlier. Simultaneously, wholesale fan orders saw a staggering increase of 378% in Sweden and 114% in Belgium.
What has been Midea’s response to the increased demand for air conditioners in Europe?
Midea has ramped up production and shipped 20,000 air conditioners to France in just seven days to meet the increased demand due to the intense heatwave.
What is the sales trend of the portable split air conditioner designed for Europe?
Sales of the portable split air conditioner, specifically designed for the European market, have exceeded 200,000 units this year, marking a twofold increase from the previous year.
How has the demand for cooling appliances and sun-protection apparel changed in Italy?
In Italy, there has been a 100% month-on-month increase in sales of cooling appliances and sun-protection apparel in June due to the heatwave.
