Heatwaves in Europe boost AC industry

China's exports of air conditioners are seeing robust growth as unprecedented heatwaves sweep across Europe this summer, leading to surging demand for cooling appliances in the continent and prompting domestic household appliance manufacturers to make their products more intelligent and energy-efficient.

Industry experts said the overall penetration rate of air conditioners in European countries is much lower than that of other major economies worldwide. About 20 percent of households in Europe are equipped with cooling equipment, with the figure standing at just 5 percent in the United Kingdom and 3 percent in Germany, respectively.

But with scorching temperatures gripping much of the Northern Hemisphere, China's leading home appliance makers have witnessed a significant rise in sales to Europe and have stepped up efforts to make forays into overseas markets to seek new sources of revenue.

Data from the China Household Electrical Appliances Association show that the country's air conditioner exports to the European Union and the UK reached $1.39 billion from January to May, up 20.25 percent year-on-year, while export volume rose 20.14 percent year-on-year to 7.97 million units.

Hisense Group said that sales of its air conditioners achieved robust growth in many European countries such as Italy, Hungary and Spain in the first half of this year. Sales in Hungary doubled year-on-year during this period, while the turnover in Italy increased more than 20 percent on a yearly basis, and online sales in Spain soared approximately 42 percent from a year earlier.

"The extreme weather is changing European consumers' perception about air conditioning products and their willingness to purchase such items," said Feng Xuezhi, general manager of Hisense Europe's air conditioning division.

Feng noted that younger consumers and middle-income households have become the main forces bolstering the growth of sales as their acceptance toward cooling devices is growing dramatically.

"The European market has very high requirements for energy efficiency and environmental protection, which sets higher standards for the design and technology of our products," he said.

The company has been investing in fields such as high energy efficiency and low carbon to respond to European consumers' concerns about energy conservation and air quality, he said, adding that it takes time for European consumers to build recognition and trust toward Chinese household appliance brands.