Washing machine milestones

19th-century Metropolitan washing machine

A vintage German model

The first English patent under the category of Washing and

Wringing Machines was issued in 1691. A drawing of an early
washing machine appeared in the January 1752 issue of "The
Gentlemen's Magazine," a British publication. In Germany, Jacob
Christian Schä ffer's washing machine design was published in
1767. In 1782 Henry Sidgier was issued a British patent for a
rotating drum washer.

The first United States Patent titled "Clothes Washing" was

granted to Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire in 1797. Fire
destroyed the patent office and no description of the device exists
so it is not known what kind of washing device Briggs invented. A
device that combined a washing machine with a wringer
mechanism did not appear until 1843 when John E. Turnbull of

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Saint John, New Brunswick patented a "Clothes Washer With
Wringer Rolls”

Electric washing machines were advertised and discussed in

newspapers as early as 1904. Louis Goldenberg of New
Brunswick, New Jersey invented the electric washing machine
around the late 1800s to early 1900s. He worked for the Ford
Motor Company at that time, and all inventions that were created
while working for Ford under contract, belonged to Ford. The
patent would have been listed under Ford and or Louis
Goldenberg.Alva J. Fisher has been incorrectly credited with the
invention of the electric washer. The US patent office shows at
least one patent issued before Mr. Fisher's US patent number
966677 (e.g. Woodrow's US patent number 921195).

US electric washing machine sales reached 913,000 units in 1928.

However, high unemployment rates in the Depression years hit
sales; by 1932 the number of units shipped was down to about
600,000.

The first laundromat opened in Fort Worth, Texas in 1934.. It was

run by Andrew Clein. Patrons used coin-in-the-slot facilities to
rent washing machines. The term laundromat can be found in
newspapers as early as 1884 and they were widespread during
the depression. It is almost impossible to determine who had the
first laundromat. England established public wash rooms for
laundry along with bath houses throughout the nineteenth
century.

Washer design improved during the 1930s; the mechanism was

now enclosed within a cabinet; more attention was paid to
electrical safety; spin dryers were introduced, to replace the
dangerous power wringers of the day.

Early automatic washing machines were usually connected to the

water supply via temporary slip-on connectors to the sink taps.
Later, permanent connections to both the hot and cold water
supplies became the norm. Most modern front-loading European
machines now only have a cold water connection (i.e. cold fill)
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and rely completely on electric heaters to raise the water
temperature.

By 1940, 60% of the 25,000,000 wired homes in the United States

had an electric washing machine. Many of these machines
featured a power wringer, although built-in spin dryers were not
uncommon.

Bendix introduced the first automatic washing machine in 1937,

having applied for a patent in the same year. In appearance and
mechanical detail, this first machine is not unlike the front loading
automatic washers produced today. Although it included many of
the today's basic features, the machine lacked any drum
suspension and therefore had to be anchored to the floor to
prevent "walking".

1910 advertisement

Many of these early automatic machines had coin-in-the-slot

facilities and were installed in the basement laundry rooms of
apartment houses. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, US domestic
washer production had to be suspended for the duration of World
War II. However, many US appliance manufacturers were given
permission to undertake the research and development of
washers during the war years. Many took the opportunity to
develop automatic machines, realizing that these represented the
future for the industry.

An improved front loading automatic model, the Bendix Deluxe

(which retailed at $249.50) was introduced in 1947.

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General Electric introduced the first top loading automatic also in
1947. This machine had many of the features that are
incorporated into modern machines.

A large number of US manufacturers introduced competing

automatic machines (mainly of the top loading type) in the late
1940s/early 1950s. Several manufacturers even produced semi-
automatic machines, where the user had to intervene at one or
two points in the wash cycle. A common semi-automatic type
(available from Hoover in the UK until at least the 70's) included 2
tubs: one with an agitator or impeller for washing and/or rinsing;
another, smaller, tub for water extraction or centrifugal rinsing.

One early form of automatic washing machine manufactured by

Hoover used cartridges to program different wash cycles. This
system, called the Keymatic, used plastic cartridges with key-like
slots and ridges around the edges. The cartridge was inserted into
a slot on the machine and a mechanical reader operated the
machine accordingly. The system did not really take off, since it
offered no real advantage over the more conventional program
dial, and the cartridges were prone to getting lost. In hindsight it
can be seen as a marketing gimmick rather than offering any
really useful functionality.

Since their introduction in the late 1930s/mid 1940s, automatic

washing machines have relied on mechanical timers to sequence
the washing and extraction process. Mechanical timers consist of
a series of cams on a common shaft. At the appropriate time in the
wash cycle, each cam actuates a switch to engage/disengage a
particular part of the machinery (e.g. drain pump motor). The
timer shaft is driven by a small electric motor via a reduction
gearbox.

On the early mechanical timers the motor ran at a constant speed

throughout the wash cycle, although it was possible for the user
to truncate parts of the program, by manually advancing the
control dial. However, by the 1950s demand for greater flexibility
in the wash cycle led to the introduction of electronic timers to
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supplement the mechanical timer. These electronic timers enable
greater variation in such functions as the wash time. With this
arrangement, the electric timer motor is periodically switched-off
to permit the clothing to soak, and is only re-energised just prior
to a micro-switch being engaged/disengaged.

Despite the high cost of automatic washers, manufacturers had

difficulty in meeting the demand. Although there were material
shortages during the Korean War, by 1953 automatic washing
machine sales in the US exceeded those of wringer-type electric
machines.

In the UK and in most of Europe, electric washing machines did

not become popular until the 1950s. This was largely because of
the economic impact of World War II on the consumer market
which did not properly recover until the late 1950s. The early
electric washers were single tub, wringer-type machines,
automatic washing machines being extremely expensive. During
the 1960s, twin tub machines briefly became very popular, helped
by the low price of the Rolls Razor washers. Automatic washing
machines did not become dominant in the UK until well into the
1970s and by then were almost exclusively of the front-loader
design.

A 1950s model

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In early automatic washing machines, any changes in
impeller/drum speed were achieved by mechanical means or by a
rheostat on the motor power supply. However, since the 1970s
electronic control of motor speed has become a common feature
on the more expensive models.

Early front loading machines, especially those manufactured in

Mediterranean countries (e.g. Italy), had low spin speeds (e.g. 800
rpm or less). Nowadays, a spin speed of 1200 rpm is common and
a peak spin speed as high as 1600 rpm is available on many
machines. Now models in Europe have speeds of 1800 rpm and a
few European washing machines have a spin speed of 2000 rpm.
However, because they were not susceptible to gravitational
forces, some early top loading machines had spin speeds in excess
of 1000 rpm, although some were as low as 360 rpm. Most US
top-loading washers have spin speeds less than 1000 rpm.

In the late 1990s, the British inventor James Dyson launched a

type of washing machine with two cylinders rotating in opposite
directions; which, it is claimed, reduces the wash time and
produces cleaner results; however, this machine is not now in
production.

In the early 1990s, upmarket machines incorporated

microcontrollers for the timing process. These proved reliable, so
many cheaper machines now incorporate microcontrollers, rather
than mechanical timers. Washing machines are a classic
application for fuzzy logic. Miele, from West Germany, was the top
of the line front load washer, and was introduced in Kananaskis,
Alberta by Glenn Isbister starting a revolution in Laundry in
Canada.

In 1994, Staber Industries released the System 2000 washing

machine, which is the only top loading, horizontal-axis washer to
be manufactured in the United States. The hexagonal tub spins
like a front loading machine, only using about third of the water
as conventional top-loaders. This factor has led to an Energy Star
rating for its high efficiency.
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In 2001, Whirlpool Corporation introduced the Calypso, the first
vertical-axis high efficiency washing machine to be top-loading. A
washplate in the bottom of the tub nutated to bounce, shake, and
toss the laundry around. As this happened, water containing
detergent was sprayed on to the laundry. The machine proved to
be good at cleaning but gained a bad reputation due to frequent
breakdowns and destruction of laundry and the washer was
recalled with a class-action lawsuit and pulled off the market.

In 2007, Sanyo introduced the first drum type washing machine

with ‘Air Wash’ function.This washing machine uses only 50L of
water in the recycle mode.

In 2008, the University of Leeds created a washing machine that

uses only a cup (about 0.5 imperial pints (280 ml)) of water to
carry out a full wash. The machine leaves clothes virtually dry,
and uses less than 2 per cent of the water and energy otherwise
used by a conventional machine. As such, it could save billions of
litres of water each year.

Modern machines

Modern washing machines are available in two configurations:

top loading and front loading.

The top loading design or V-axis clothes washer, most popular in

Australia, Canada, the United States and Latin America, places the
clothes in a vertically-mounted perforated basket that is
contained within a water-retaining tub, with a propeller-like
agitator in center of the bottom of the basket. Clothes are loaded
through the top of the machine, which is covered with a hinged
door. During the wash cycle, the outer tub is filled with water
sufficient to suspend the clothing freely in the basket, and the
movement of the agitator pulls the clothing downward in the
center towards the agitator paddles. The clothing then moves
outward and up the sides of the basket to repeat the process. Top-
loaders are not well-suited to cleaning large objects such as
pillows or sleeping bags due to the tendency for them to just float

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on the surface of the water without circulating, and the aggressive
agitator action can damage delicate fabrics.

In most top loading washers, if the motor spins in one direction,

the gearbox drives the agitator; if the motor spins the other way,
the gearbox locks the agitator and spins the basket and agitator
together. Similarly if the pump motor rotates one way it
recirculates the sudsy water; in the other direction it pumps
water from the machine during the spin cycle. Because they
usually incorporate a gearbox, clutch, crank, etc, top loading
washers are mechanically more complex than front loading
machines but are generally lower maintenance since there is no
need for a door seal (described below).

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Arctic BE1200A+ is a front loading budget model sold in 2008
with 6 kg load, LCD indicator, 1200 RPM

The front loading design or H-axis clothes washer, most popular

in Europe and the Middle East, mounts the inner basket and outer
tub horizontally, and loading is through a door at the front of the
machine. The door often but not always contains a window.
Agitation is supplied by the back-and-forth rotation of the
cylinder and by gravity. The clothes are lifted up by paddles on
the inside wall of the drum and then dropped. This motion flexes
the weave of the fabric and forces water and detergent solution
through the clothes load. Because the wash action does not
require the clothing be freely suspended in water, only enough
water is needed to moisten the fabric. Because less water is
required, front-loaders typically use less soap, and the aggressive
dropping and folding action of the tumbling can easily produce
large amounts of foam.

Front-loaders control water usage through the surface tension of

water, and the capillary wicking action this creates in the fabric
weave. A front-loader washer always fills to the same low water
level, but a large pile of dry clothing standing in water will soak
up the moisture, causing the water level to drop. The washer then
refills to maintain the original water level. Because it takes time
for this water absorption to occur with a motionless pile of fabric,
nearly all front-loaders begin the washing process by slowly
tumbling the clothing under the stream of water entering and
filling the drum, to rapidly saturate the dry clothes with water.

Front loading washers are mechanically simple compared to top-

loaders, with the main motor normally being connected to the
drum via a grooved pulley belt and large pulley wheel, without
the need for a gearbox, clutch or crank. But front-load washers
suffer from their own technical problems, due to the drum lying
sideways. For example, a top loading washer keeps water inside
the tub merely through the force of gravity pulling down on the
water, while a front-loader must tightly seal the door shut with a
gasket to prevent dripping water onto the floor during the wash
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cycle. This access door is locked shut during the entire wash cycle,
since opening the door with the machine in use could result in
water gushing out onto the floor. For front-loaders without
viewing windows on the door, it is possible to accidentally pinch
fabric between the door and the drum, resulting in tearing and
damage to the pinched clothing during tumbling and spinning.

Nearly all front-loader washers for the consumer market must

also use a folded flexible bellows assembly around the door
opening, to keep clothing contained inside the basket during the
tumbling wash cycle. If this bellows assembly were not used,
small articles of clothing such as socks could slip out of the wash
basket near the door, and fall down the narrow slot between the
outer tub and basket, plugging the drain and possibly jamming
rotation of the inner basket. Retrieving lost items from between
the outer tub and inner basket can require complete disassembly
of the front of the washer and pulling out the entire inner wash
basket. Commercial and industrial front-loaders used by
businesses (described below) usually do not use the bellows, and
instead require all small objects to be placed in a mesh bag to
prevent loss near the basket opening.

This bellows assembly around the door is the source of problems

for the consumer front-loader. The bellows has a large number of
flexible folds to permit the tub to move separately from the door
during the high speed extraction cycle. On American machines,
these folds can collect lint, dirt, and moisture, resulting in mold
and mildew growth and a foul odor. Some front-loading washer
operating instructions say the bellows should be wiped down
monthly with a strong bleach solution, while others offer a special
freshening cycle where the machine is run empty with a strong
dosing of bleach. In the past, suggested remedies have included
adding vinegar to the laundry detergent, running an empty cycle
with bleach every few weeks, wiping the door gasket with a
diluted bleach solution every other week, and leaving the front-
loading washer door ajar between loads.

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A top-loading washer suffers from none of these continued
maintenance problems and needs no regular freshening. During
the spin cycle, a top-loading tub is free to move about inside the
cabinet of the machine, using only a lip around the top of the
inner basket and outer tub to keep the spinning water and
clothing from spraying out over the edge.

There are many variations of these two general themes. Top

loading machines in Asia use impellers instead of agitators.
Impellers are similar to agitators except that they do not have the
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center post extending up in the middle of the wash tub basket.
There is also a top loading variant of the horizontal axis design
that is loaded from the top, through a small door in the
circumference of the drum. These machines usually have a
shorter cylinder and are therefore smaller, but offer the efficiency
of a front-loader while eliminating the problems of the flexible
bellows. This kind of washing machine is sold and popular in
Europe, especially in small households, because it offers the same
drum system as front loaders, just with a smaller footprint.

Front-loaded machines are ideal for fitted/finished kitchens, since

they can be installed under a countertop/worktop. A front loading
washing machine, in a fully-fitted kitchen, is often disguised as an
ordinary base cabinet/unit. They are also ideal for small homes
and apartments with limited space, because the dryer can be
installed directly above the washer. They're also more convenient
for little people and those with paraplegia, as the controls are
front-mounted and the horizontal drum eliminates the need for
standing and/or climbing.

Many front loading machines have electrical heating elements to

heat the wash bath to near boiling. Chemical action is supplied by
the detergent and other laundry chemicals. Front loaders use
special detergents that are designed to release different chemical
ingredients at different temperatures. This is so that different
type of stains and soils will be cleaned from the clothes as the
wash water is heated up by the electrical heater. Front loaders
also need to use low sudsing detergents because the tumbling
action of the drum folds air into the clothes load that can cause
over-sudsing. Due to the concentration of water and detergent,
though, the sudsing issue of front-loaders can also be controlled
by simply using less detergent without lessening cleaning action.

Tests comparing front loading and top loading machines have

shown that, in general, front-loaders wash clothes more
thoroughly, cause less wear, and use less water and energy than
top-loaders. As a result of using less water, they require less
detergent to be used, or conversely, they can use the same
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amount of detergent with less water, which increases detergent
concentration and increases the amount of chemical action. They
also allow a dryer to be more easily mounted directly above the
washer.

Top-loaders have had the advantage that they complete a washing

cycle much faster and allow clothes to be removed at
intermediate stages of the cycle (for instance, if some clothes
within a wash are not to be spun). Many current front-loaders,
though, can be stopped and added-to or removed-from because
the water level in the horizontal tub is still below the door level.
They also tend to be easier to load and unload, since reaching into
the tub does not require stooping. Again, this issue can be
mitigated due to the offering of risers (usually with storage
drawers underneath) to raise the door opening closer to the
user's level. The top loader's spin cycle between washing and
rinsing allows an extremely simple fabric softener dispenser,
which operates passively through centrifugal force and gravity.
The same objective must be accomplished by a solenoid-operated
valve on a front loader. Another advantage to the top loading
design is the reliance on gravity to contain the water, rather than
potentially trouble-prone or short-lived front door seals.

Traditionally, top loading machines have tended to be more

complex mechanically than front loading washers, because the
former generally require a transmission, clutch assembly, and
brake to perform the wash/spin cycle. However, the electro-
mechanical components in conventional top-load washers have
largely reached maturity. In contrast, complications caused by
higher-speed drum rotation on consumer-level front-load
machines, combined with the addition of electronic circuit boards,
control touchpads, and various sensors has significantly impacted
frequency-of-repair and expected service life.

Washing and everything related to washing has developed

significantly since the beginning of history. Nowadays
people are using laundry detergents, synthetic detergents,
washing machines, dryers and there are plants to treat
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the wastewater of washing. While in the prehistory people used
to have only water and used rivers and streams
as water supply, defecated in nature and their wastes had a low
impact on the environment. Even though all these
developments seem very familiar and normal to us nowadays, you
may have asked this already to yourself: “How did
we come to this level in washing?”
The answer to this question is a long and interesting story, the
“History of Washing”, starting from prehistory till the
21st century.

PREHISTORY (100,000 – 30,000 B.C.)

Prehistory covers the 2.5 million years of man’s existence before

the advent of written records. How early man lived
during this period is determined largely through archaeological
evidence.
Soap
If prehistoric man cleaned himself or his clothing, he used water
only.
Baths
Prehistoric people may have learned from experience that eating
with dirty hands could be dangerous and often
fatal. This may have led them to wash their dirty hands in water,
providing the first example of washing having
an impact on human health. With the discovery of fire about 1.8
million years ago, it’s possible that water was
heated for washing.
Water supply
Early man lived near rivers and streams, and used the water for
drinking.
Human waste
People living in small societies, such as families or small
tribes,usually defecated privately near a stream or somewhere
farenough away from where they lived that the smell
wouldn’tbother them. When it came to Neanderthal man, this

14
often took place deep inside a cave. This became a health problem
once populations grew and some cultures became sedentary.
Environmental impact
Since prehistoric man lived in a small group or community, and
was primarily concerned with activities needed for survival
(hunting and gathering food), the environmental impact of human
activity was small and, in a sense, hardly different from the
impact of groups of animals. Any wastes that were generated
would be degraded quickly. The human population density was
far below the carrying
capacity of the environment.
3

ANCIENT TIMES (2500 B.C. – 476 A.D.

approx. 3000 years)

In ancient times, bathing and clothes washing evolved. Soap

began to be used, both for bathing
and for laundering clothes. The Romans used public laundries or
“fulleries”, staffed by workers who
washed clothing with a version of detergents. The fulleries were
not a healthy environment for those
who worked in them. Public baths became popular, as bathing
was seen as a social event. Aqueducts
brought water into the homes of the wealthy, whereas the
working class relied on hand-carrying
water from the public fountains and rivers to their homes.
Plumbing was still rudimentary, with
waste carried through open drains to rivers. Because of the lack of
waste treatment of any kind, the
environmental impact of human activity was high, especially near
the cities.
Romans were a fashion-conscious people and paid much attention
to their attire.
Soap

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The first primitive soap was made from ashes from wood and
other
plants, by extraction with water. Ashes from halophytes – plants
from the Mediterranean region - such Saponaria sp., Salicornia
sp. and Salsola sp., were particularly effective for soapmaking.
The fact that such alkaline solutions had cleaning properties was
probably discovered accidentally. According to legend, the word
soap, or rather the process of saponification, derives from Sapo
Hill in Rome, where animals were sacrificed and cremated.
Tallow, or animal fat, and ash were washed down the hill by
rainwater, into the clay soil along the Tiber River. Women found
that washing clothes was easier if they used this clay. A less
romantic derivation is the name of the Italian town of Savona,
where large quantities of soap were manufactured during the 9th
century A.D. In French, “savon” means soap. The oldest reference
to purposeful soap-making dates back to 2800 B.C. Fats were
boiled with ashes to make soap. Gallic and Germanic tribes
carried out saponification by trial and error. In the process of
soap-making, they also produced glycerol as a result of the action
of alkali on fat (goat tallow, birch wood ash and herbal extract
colouring). Human or animal urine was commonly used as a
cleaning agent in ancient times. Its cleaning properties are due to
the production of the alkaline ammonium carbonate from
fermentation of urea. Its use was first reported in the Orient, from
which it spread to the West.

Baths
The first Roman baths were built around 312 B.C. and continued
to be popular until the fall of the Roman Empire
in the 6th century. At the end of the day, Roman men and women
would gather at the public bathhouses. Some
wealthy families had their own bathhouses, yet they would often
invite friends to bathe with them, as bathing was
very much a social event. Afterwards, they would spend the rest
of the evening on an elaborate dinner. When
the Roman Empire fell in 467 A.D., their habits with regards to
personal cleanliness were also lost. In the Middle
16
Ages, this lack of hygiene would have dramatic consequences. The
ancient Greeks “washed” themselves with
lumps of clay, had steam baths and rubbed their skin with oil,
such as olive oil, which they then scraped off with
an instrument called a “strigil”, along with any dirt. The use of
soap for bathing was reported as early as 1500 B.C.
by the ancient Egyptians.
Laundry
Frescoes in Pompeii show how important laundry was for the
Romans. Laundry was not done at home, at least not
by the wealthier Romans. It was done at the public “fulleries” –
the equivalent of the modern laundromat – by workers called
“fullones.” “The large fulleries have several features in common.
They contain a large hall with very
large basins in the floor, communicating with one another. In
these basins clothes were put to soak and cleaned.
Along three sides of the hall are pressing-bowls, usually made of
terracotta, often the lower half of a dolium.
Here the material was further cleaned, by workers who ’jumped‘
or ’danced‘ on the clothes (the so-called saltus
fullonicus; Seneca, Epistulae 15,4), while they leaned on small
walls on either side. Detergents were used, such as
the creta fullonica (fuller’s earth), that was stored in small bowls.
It helped remove the grease and enhanced the
colours. Urine, collected in public urinals, was used for bleaching,
and so was sulphur, which was burned under
wooden frames over which the cloth was suspended. After the
pressing, the material was taken to the basins again,
for the removal of the detergents. Fullers were organized into
powerful Guilds. Clothes were cleaned by treading
(fulling) in stone bowls containing clay and ammoniated water.
After rinsing once, the bowls were filled once
more and the clothes were rinsed again. Drying took place on bell-
shaped wire frames under which sulphur was
burned.” (from the Ostia Anctica web site). The Roman laundries
were not a healthy work environment: workers

17
were constantly exposed to polluted, foul-smelling air and their
skin was in constant contact with chemicals in the
water. As a result they ran a high risk of developing work-related
illnesses. The ancient Greeks used only water,
without soap, for laundry.
Water supply
During the early years, water for Rome was brought in from the
Tiber River. Aqueducts that piped the water from
rivers or wells into the city were built during the Late Empire.
Wealthy Romans had the water piped all the way into
their homes, but most people had to rely on the public fountains
or water delivery by a contractor or Aquarius.
Some homes had cisterns in which rainwater was collected. The
aqueducts and cisterns of Carthage (Tunisia, N.
Africa) are well preserved to this day.
Plumbing
Rome was well equipped with open drains and sewers, which ran
parallel to streets. Many houses had latrines,
but apartments did not. Where there were no latrines, chamber
pots were used. These were emptied in the
public drains and sewers, or in public urinal pots. The large public
urinal pots at the street corners were
periodically emptied by “fullers” who worked in the laundry
facilities, where urine was used as a laundry
additive. Public toilets were large, rectangular rooms that could
be used by many people at the same time.
The construction was similar to today’s “outhouses,” but the
waste was continuously flushed away by
running water in the sewers down below.
Environmental impact
Wastewater from households as well as from public toilets was
flushed away to the rivers, often via open
channels that ran alongside or in the middle of the streets. Out of
necessity, ancient civilizations were
much more tolerant of foul odors than modern society! As these
sewage streams and human waste

18
streams were discharged to the rivers without any form of
treatment, the environmental impact of
human activity was high. Similar situations still exist to this day,
in developing nations. A well known
example is that of the sacred Ganges River in India, used by
millions for bathing and washing but also
the receptacle for untreated sewage and human waste from the
cities.
Fabrics
Men and women of Rome were very interested in fashion. They
wore tunics, which were knee-length
for the men and floor-length for the women. Heavy white togas
were worn on formal occasions. The
fabrics of the time were wool, linen, silk and cotton. The women
wore make-up and jewelry, mostly
gold and precious stones among higher classes, amber jewelry
among lower classes.13
The milestones in the history of washing machines and
dryers during the 19th and 20th centuries
Early 1900s Wooden wash tubs are replaced by metal tubs.
1907 Maytag Corporation began manufacturing a wooden-tub
washing machine with a flywheel, still
manually operated with a rotary handle.
1922 Maytag Corporation introduces the agitator system for
moving the water around in the drum,
rather than dragging the fabrics around in the water.
1908 First electric-powered washing machine is invented by Alva
J. Fisher.
1911 Whirlpool Corporation, then called the Upton Machine Co. is
founded in St. Joseph, Michigan
and starts producing electric motor-driven wringer washers.
1915 The first electrical clothes dryers appear.
1930s John W. Chamberlain of Bendix Aviation Corporation
invents a machine that can wash, rinse,
and extract water from clothes in a single operation.

19
1947 The first top-loading automatic washing machines are
introduced by the forerunner of the
Whirlpool Corporation.
1951 The first automatic washing machines are made in Europe.
The first computer-controlled
automatic washing machines appear.
1950 Many technological advances follow. Among hundreds of
systems tested, only two washing
systems survive until this day: the agitator system and the
tumbling system. Wash cycles and products
are developed for new fabrics and a greater range of wash
conditions.

The milestones in the development of laundry and dish

products during the 19th and 20th centuries

1950s Dishwasher powders. Liquid laundry products,

dishwashing liquids and all-purpose detergents.
Fabric conditioners (softeners) for rinse cycle.
Laundry detergents with bleaches for cleaner, whiter wash.
1960s Pre-wash treatments and stain removers.
Biological washing powders containing enzymes.
1970s Fabric conditioners (softeners) for the wash cycle.
All-purpose products, such as washing and conditioning all-in
one. 1980s Low-temperature laundry detergents. Dishwasher
liquid. Concentrated laundry powders. In what year were
brighteners added? 1990s Highly concentrated powder and liquid
detergents. Concentrated fabric conditioners.
Biodegradable fabric conditioners.
Dishwasher gels.
Refillable containers for laundry products.
Colour-safe bleach.
Colorguard technology.
2000 and beyond

20
Single dose laundry detergent tablets (Liquitabs as well as
powder tablets).
Single dose dishwasher tablets (All-in-one).
“Do it yourself” dry-cleaning sheets for use in the dryer.
Gradual further compaction of liquid and powder detergents.
Ariel Coolclean is launched across Europe and in other regions
(‘Turn to 30’, Actif à Froid, Kalt-Aktiv, Tide Coldwater
in North America).
21
Consumer educational campaigns, such as ‘Future Friendly’
(www.futurefriendly.co.uk), encourage sustainable use of
detergents and cleaning products in the areas of water and energy
savings, packaging and waste.

A brief history of Procter & Gamble

1837 During a difficult period, and following the advice of their
father-in-law, two young men (married to sisters Olivia
and Elizabeth Norris) merged their two businesses. James Gamble
had a soap factory and William Procter had just
started a candle factory. And so the first Procter & Gamble
enterprise came into being in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1859 Sales reached $1 million; 80 employees.
1860s During the Civil War, P&G won contracts with the army for
the supply of soap and candles. A period of great
activity which confirmed their market position and built their
reputation when soldiers returned home with
P&G products.

1878 Floating soap was discovered by chance: A workman in

charge of production of one of the 24 types of soap let
22
the mixture boil too long. Full of air bubbles, the soap floated. It
was named “Ivory” and became the company’s
brand name. Inexpensive and of high quality, it was launched
amidst an extensive promotional campaign in the
press and on posters, which became a landmark in advertising
history.
1887 To counteract the rise of trade unions, the company
established one of the first employee profit-sharing schemes
in the world. Today, the 100,000 employees in the group hold
25% of the capital.
1890 Creation of one of the earliest private research and
development facilities - A successful multimillion dollar
company.
1915 First P&G factory established outside the USA, in Canada.
1919-1920 P&G sells directly to retailers and hires 450 sales
representatives.
1924 Awareness of changing washing habits and the growing
demand for laundry products prompts P&G to set
up a market research department. From then onwards, the
dialogue between P&G and consumers was firmly
established. The concept that good customer service requires
understanding the market, takes hold.
1926 In response to the increasing popularity of perfumed beauty
soaps, P&G launches the Camay brand.
1930s P&G researchers study the discoveries made by German
chemists during the World War I in a bid to replace
soap with a synthetic product.
1931 The P&G marketing organization organizes itself around the
brands.
1933 Launch of the Dreft brand, the first synthetic detergent,
specifically designed for delicate fabrics. That year,
the P&G launches the “soap opera”, a serial daytime TV
entertainment program, interspersed with brand
advertising.
1934 P&G launches Drene shampoo.
1945 The company’s net worth is $350 million.

23
1946 P&G launches Tide, the first all-purpose laundry detergent.
It would become a phenomenal success.
1954 P&G starts European operations.
1955 P&G introduces the Crest brand, the first fluoride-containing
toothpaste
1960 P&G launch the Downy brand, the first fabric conditioner.
1964 The American Dental Association endorses Crest toothpaste.
1972 P&G launches the Bounce brand, the first softener sheet for
dryers.
1980 P&G operations span 23 countries worldwide, with a
turnover of $11 billion s - 35 times that of 1945.
After 1980 Global development continues, frequently through
acquisitions.
1984 Launch of “Tide Liquid”. In this period, P&G introduces the
first dosing device for liquid detergents
‘vizirette’ which subsequently became a common dosing device
that allows consumers to dose in the
heart of the wash (to improve dissolution kinetics and
performance while avoiding sump losses).
1986 P&G develops a “2-in-1” shampoo/conditioner brand: Pert
Plus/Rejoice would become a market leader.
1988 P&G announces a joint venture agreement in China.
1995 P&G receives the National Medal of Technology - the highest
award in the USA for achievement
in technology - for creating, developing and marketing products
that improve quality of life for
billions of people worldwide. P&G is quoted among the “Best-of-
the-Best” in customer service,
along with L. L. Bean, American Express, The Limited and Mariott.
The company is also recognized
as a leader in the areas of marketing, sales management and
technology management2.
1998 P&G supports the ‘A.I.S.E. Code of Good Environmental
Practice’, a voluntary initiative of A.I.S.E.
to promote sustainable production and consumption. A.I.S.E. is
the European industry association
for detergents and cleaning products.
24
1998 P&G starts to participate to the (ongoing) ‘A.I.S.E. Washright
campaign’, which promotes the
sustainable consumption of household laundry detergents across
Europe (www.washright.com)
1999 P&G actively participates to the HERA progamme (HERA =
Human & Environmental Risk Assessment),
a joint A.I.S.E./CEFIC initiative to provide risk assessments on
ingredients used in household cleaning
products (see www.heraproject.com)
15
2001 P&G introduces ‘Ariel Liquitabs’, the first P&G fully soluble
liquid laundry detergent pouches which
combines strong performance, convenience and textile care.
2002 P&G launches the new Ariel powder tablets.
2004 P&G becomes an active member of the A.I.S.E. “Charter for
Sustainable Cleaning*. This initiative
promotes a life-cycle approach to sustainability throughout all
product categories of A.I.S.E., through
independent assessment and leading to the reporting on
industry’s sustainability performance (see
www.sustainable-cleaning.com)
2005 P&G introduces the ‘Safe Use Icons’ on its products. These
are a new set of icons developed by
A.I.S.E. which provide consistent communication on the safe use
of products.
(see www.aise.eu, www.sustainable-cleaning.com)
2006 A.I.S.E. launches the ‘Laundry Sustainability Project’ (LSP).
With this, P&G and other detergent
manufacturers intend to promote sustainability by educating
consumers on how to dose correctly
when using ‘compact’ laundry detergents (see www.aise.eu).
2006 A.I.S.E. initiates the (ongoing) ‘Save Energy and Water
project’ which aims at
encouraging the use of low-temperature and auto programs on
automatic dishwashers. (see
www.saveenergyandwater.com)

25
2008 P&G renews the scientific website
www.scienceinthebox.com which now includes the
Sustainability-in-the-Home module. This offers easily accessible
information to consumers around how
to use laundry and cleaning products in a more sustainable way.

The Future
P&G continues to focus on its core brands and technology. The
company has also made a firm
commitment to sustainability in the broadest sense - social,
economical and environmental. As quoted
from A.G. Lafley, CEO of P&G : “We take pride in serving more
than two billion consumers every day,
and creating value for shareholders. This is necessary, but not
enough. We must not only sustain business
growth. We must also contribute to the sustainability of the world
we live and work in today for the
benefit of our children and grandchildren tomorrow.” In 2007,
P&G renewed its sustainability programme
and developed strategies and goals for its products,
manufacturing operations and sites, as well as for the
social responsibility programmes, employee engagement and
external sustainability partnerships.

The World of Today’s Washing Machine.

26
A washing machine, or washer, is a machine designed to clean
laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets. The term is mostly
applied only to machines that use water as the primary cleaning
solution, as opposed to dry cleaning (which uses alternative
cleaning fluids, and is performed by specialist businesses) or even
ultrasonic cleaners.

All washer machines work by using mechanical energy, thermal

energy, and chemical action. Mechanical energy is imparted to the
clothes load by the rotation of the agitator in top loaders, or by
the tumbling action of the drum in front loaders. Thermal energy
is supplied by the temperature of the wash bath.

On the early mechanical timers the motor ran at a constant speed

throughout the wash cycle, although it was possible for the user
to truncate parts of the program, by manually advancing the
control dial. However, by the 1950s demand for greater flexibility
in the wash cycle led to the introduction of electronic timers to
supplement the mechanical timer. These electronic timers enable
greater variation in such functions as the wash time. With this
arrangement, the electric timer motor is periodically switched-off
to permit the clothing to soak, and is only re-energised just prior
to a micro-switch being engaged/disengaged

In early automatic washing machines, any changes in

impeller/drum speed were achieved by mechanical means or by a
rheostat on the motor power

Despite the high cost of automatic washers, manufacturers had

difficulty in meeting the demand. Although there were material

shortages during the Korean War, by 1953 automatic washing

machine sales in the US exceeded those of wringer-type electric
machines.

In the UK and in most of Europe, electric washing machines did

not become popular until the 1950s. This was largely because of
the economic impact of World War II on the consumer market
which did not properly recover until the late 1950s. The early
27
electric washers were single tub, wringer-type machines,
automatic washing machines being extremely expensive. During
the 1960s, twin tub machines briefly became very popular, helped
by the low price of the Rolls Razor washers. Automatic washing
machines did not become dominant in the UK until well into the
1970s and by then were almost exclusively of the front-loader
design

INDIAN MARKET Overview

The washing machine market is valued at Rs. 1500 crore and is
growing at the rate of 22% this year (2007-08) compared to last
year. The fully automatic and semi-automatic sub category is
growing at the rate of 40% and 17% respectively. Washing
machine sales is cyclical in nature and its sales commences with
28
the onset of monsoon.

Major Players
Some of the major players in the category of washing machine
market are:

 Whirlpool

 LG Electronics India Ltd.

 Videocon
 Samsung
 LG is the leader with 27% of market
share.
 Whirlpool has a market share of 17%.
 Samsung has a market share of 14%.

TYPES OF PRODUCTS

 Fully automatic machines

 Semi-automatic machines
 Front loading washer
 Top loading washer

29
Before the liberalization of the Indian economy, only a few
companies like Kelvinator, Godrej, Allwyn, and Voltas were the
major players in the consumer durables market, accounting for no
less than 90% of the market. Then, after the liberalization, foreign
players like LG, Sony, Samsung, Whirlpool, Daewoo, Aiwa came
into the picture. Today, these players control the major share of
the consumer durables market.

OBJECTIVES

 TO KNOW THE MARKET IN INDIA FOR WASHING MASHINE

 TO KHOW THE MARKET IN BHUBANESWAR FOR WASHING
MACHINE
 TO KHOW ABOUT THE PRODUCT & PRICE IN CONTEXT OF
INDIAN MARKET
 TO KHOW HOW THE MARKET HAS CHANGED FROM THE
EARLY YEARS TILL NOW
 WHO ARE THE PRESENT MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MARKET
?
 WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THIS MARKET?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
We visited two showrooms in Bhubaneswar namely SpectraET
and Rajpath Electronics Bapuji Nagar E-Zone.

30
1.Direct talk with the dealers: We had a talk with dealers about
the present market of washing machine of Bhubaneswar.
2.Sample survey: We surveyed on the the basis of our
questionnaire with the customers.

ANALYSIS
The characteristics of Indian market are much different from
what it was 10-15 years back. At that time the washing machine
was only meant for the higher class people. That time only the big
dealers of big cities were selling washing machine as it was a kind
of luxury product.

But due to changes in life-style of Indian middle class families,

increase in the no. of nuclear families; increase in no. of working
mothers the demand for washing machine rises in the middle
class people also. There are many companies operating in Indian
market now, both domestic and international. We have visited
some showrooms in Bhubaneswar. We talk to them. We have got
an overview of the washing machine market in India, especially in
Bhubaneswar.

There are four types of products which are specially marketed

here.
 Semi automated
 Fully automated
 Top loading
 Front loading

31
The fully automated front loading washing machine is costlier
then other types.
As the market of washing machine is wide now many companies
both domestic international are competing in Indian market .
 WHIRLPOOL
 SAMSUNG
 LG
 IFB

The top four companies are leading in the market

LG,Whirlpool,Samsung,IFB.Front loading fully automated
machines are relatively costlier than other types.IFB is the first
company to introduce Front loading washing machine in India.IFB
“consumes less,save more “is the popular brand in Bhubaneswar.It
consumes less electricity,detergent and water.

LG”wear care-experience the next generation of fabric care” is the

top most brand in washing machine market all over India having
about 30% market share. The look of the models are very
attractive,colourful and affordable.

Whirlpool and Samsung are giving tough competition to LG

.Samsung”experience the freshness of new clothes” has four types
of machines in Indian market.

 Top loading fully automated

 Front loading fully automated
 Semi automatic twin tub machine

32
  Air wash-its main characteristics is it does’nt need water for
washing clothes.Its range starts from Rs 95000 onwards.The
dealers don’t keep this machine in showrooms,they import it
only against the order,it is not manufactured in India.

Whirlpool”let your hands do what they do best” is also very tough

competitor of LG and Samsung.It’s very popular in all over
India.The others brands are also popular in the middle-class
consumers like Godrej,Onida,Voltas.

LG
TROMM
LG Electronics, has unveiled the latest front loading TROMM
series, drum washing machines. Its futuristic wash features such
as Fuzzy Logic technology ensures that once you press the start
button, smart sensors automatically detect the laundry load and
water level. Adjustments are then made in the water levels and
cycle time based on the laundry load to give you that perfect
wash. Fuzzy Logic also detects machine imbalance and excessive
foam formation and adjusts the same for the best washing
performance. At the touch of a button LG TROMM saves water and
energy giving you a clean and convenient wash.

TROMM has the largest capacity 7 kg drum load capacity, Single

dog Dial feature, Delay Timer, Digital Display. It has Eco Wash, 9
Water levels and GRPP Outer Drum features give the benefit of
saving electricity. Self Diagnosis mechanism, child lock and rat
cover are the added safety features.

Top loading fully automatic washing machines

LG’s Top loading range of fully automatic washing machines
33
comes equipped with the revolutionary
i Sensor technology. The i-Sensor technology is a combination of 7
sensors against the normal 4 present in other machines, which
delivers a supreme wash. The hardness, detergent and
temperature sensors are the additional sensors. 7-water level
sensors help in power saving of upto 15% more than regular
washing machines. LG also displayed its Turbodrum and 3 step
wash range of machines which delivers best towards washing and
rinsing performance. The washing machines also come with
safety features such as imbalance and door lock sensor with child-
lock feature. The machines are equipped with self tub clean
system for better hygiene . All these superb features enable
washing that offers tangle free clothes, less wear and tear and
complete yet gentle cleaning .

Aesthetically very appealing, LG Washing Machine has stylish

European looks which is a unique blend of eye-catching design,
user-friendly controls and digital as well as window display. The
FRONT LOADING Washing Machine range comes in four colors,
making LG the only company in India to offer so many color
options.

Semi Automatic Washing Machines

LGEIL has a total line up of 11 models in SAWM offering capacity
of 6.2, 6.5, 7.0 & 7.2 Kgs. The highlight of the Semi Automatic
Range was India’s first 6.5 Kg capacity semi-automatic washing
machine, developed through the efforts of LGEIL’s robust in house
R&D & Product Planning Team, with an investment of over 25
crores. This washing machine has been designed taking into
consideration the aspirational as well as functional needs of
34
Indian consumer. The new Semi automatic machine launched has
international looks and elegance.

LG WASHER & DRYERS

The LG Dishwasher is a technological miracle with high
performance levels, dependability, energy efficiency and
convenience. The uniqueness of the LG dishwasher is that it
enables 50% fold down times to enable washing of large vessels,
various washing systems and an aqua stop which will detect
water leaks. It also has a triple filter which increases the efficiency
of use of water and energy . The dishwasher can be hailed as the
gadget of the millennium since it requires least water
consumption has more programs & comes in sleek design.

LG’s Washer Dryer, unique in its offerings marks entry of this

segment in Indian market. Consumers would be offered complete
Wash & Dry solution with this compact machine which has a large
capacity of 8 kg washing and 4 kg drying capacity. Its features of
auto dry and max spin speed of 1400 RPM making LG washer
dryer a value for money Proposition.

The Dryer comes loaded with latest condensing technology for

drying clothes thus eliminating the need for air vent and duct
which is commonly observed in current Indian offerings . It has
dual lint filter and can handle bulk load upto 7 Kg .

LG’s milestones in the Washing Machine category:

1997: LG launched its top loading washing machine from Korea

1998: Washing machine factory setup and start semi automatic
washing machine

35
1999: Washing machine export started and launched front
loading
2000: Launched MICOM controlled Semi automatic WM
2001: Launched 10 Kg. Digital Display top loading and new range
of front loading
2002: Home production of top loading WM
2003: Became No.1 brand in WM category
2004: Launched TROMM

WHIRLPOOL
A leading manufacturer of home appliances, disclosed a
phenomenal rise in standalone net profit for the quarter ended
March 2008, helped by healthy sales growth and cost cutting
measures adopted by the company.

The company’s sales surpassed its tally of the previous year, even
as the domestic home appliance industry remained sluggish on
account of rising input costs and other factors. Whirlpool
recorded a Sales turnover of Rs. 1933 Crores a growth of 21%
over the previous year.

Announcing the annual results, Mr. Arvind Uppal, Managing

Director India and Region Head Asia Pacific (excluding Greater
China) Whirlpool said “I am pleased that we are back in the
black. Our focus on sustainable profitable growth is definitely
yielding positive results.”

Whirlpool of India is on an aggressive growth path and has set

impressive targets for 2008. The company recently launched the
revamped ‘Genius’ and ‘Fusion’ range of refrigerators, Whirlpool
‘Professional’ series of washing machines and refrigerators,
Whirlpool ‘Mastermind’ air conditioners and Whirlpool ‘Max’
microwave ovens, further enhancing its already strong product
36
portfolio. ‘The company targets a growth of 20 percent this year
over last year,’ said Arvind Uppal, managing director of
Whirlpool Of India Ltd, a subsidiary of Whirlpool Corp, at the
launch.‘Our target customers are contemporary woman
professionals who are also homemakers,’ he added. ‘Commenting
on the company’s marketing strategy, Gupta said: ‘We will come
up with two new advertisements. We will make these products
available only at 1,500 retail outlets across India out of the total
7,500 such stores.’He also stated that every year buying increases
by at least 30 percent during the festive season in comparison to
sales during rest of the year. Bollywood actors Kajol and Ajay
Devgan will continue to endorse the brand, he added.

 ” With the launch of new products, company expects a growth  of

20 per cent in this festive season over last year.
 
”We expect to increase share in the fast growing frost free
segment to 30 per cent by the end of this fiscal. The company is
also targeting an agressive 10 per cent share in tne microwave
category,” he added.
 
Whirlpool products are avilable in 7,500 retail outlets across  the
country. It has a 25 per cent market share in direct cool segment
and 22.5 per cent in frost free. It is also mulling to  enter into the
water purifier and modular kitchen segment.
 Whirlpool - World’s leading manufacturer and marketer of
major home appliances, with annual sales of more than $19
billion and more than 80000 employees.
37
For the purpose of our analysis we have chosen two leading
brands LG and Whirlpool. Among the several features available
within the product we have considered only a few on the basis of
which customers take their decision.

Here LG is having four types of model -Washer dryer, Front

Loader, Top Loader, Semi Automatic type whereas Whirlpool is
having only two types of model - Fully Automatic and Top
load,Semi Automatic.

The most important factor that is the price ,in case of LG it varies
from Rs 6850 to almost Rs 370000 whereas the price of
Whirlpool ranges between Rs 10000 to Rs 20000.

LG likes to bring out its product in colours of white base,but

Whirlpool gives an option of deep colours like red and brown etc.

However the washing capacity of both brands are almost same

and it ranges between
5.5kgs to 7kgs.LG gives an option of separate washer and dryer
but Whirlpool does not give us an option.

On the basis of such characteristics the companies create product

differentiation and try to penetrate into the market.

38
FUTURE OF WASHING MACHINE IN INDIAN MARKET
Demand is the notion of an economic quantity that a target
population or market requires under different assumptions of
price, quality, and distribution, among other factors. Latent
demand, therefore, is commonly defined by economists as the
industry earnings of a market when that market becomes
accessible and attractive to serve by competing firms. The latent
demand for washing machines in India is not actual or historic
sales. Nor is latent demand future sales. In fact, latent demand can
be either lower or higher than actual sales if a market is
inefficient (i.e., not representative of relatively competitive
levels).

Indian market is fast moving towards high-end customized

products, which are aesthetically designed to complement the
modern households. The need at this moment of time is to
continuously innovate and come out with product variations
across categories to meet the expectations of a varied class of
customers. Dismantling of quantitative restrictions on imports of
consumer electronics has let to customer tariffs gradually coming
down. In such environment, the industrial units could only
survive by improving the efficiency and productivity.

India is a fast developing country and is proving to be a major

challenge to the already established countries of the world. This
industry expects to grow by 60 per cent for washing machines in
this year. This area needs to be regularly updated with newer
technologies, so that the innovations are meaningful to the
customers. Setting up of manufacturing facilities by MNCs in
India, which not only meet international standards but also
reduce trade barriers between two countries and give a thrust to
the exports of the company, which is very important. It is always
needed to make future plans to grow its existing market, continue
with its operational and marketing initiatives, continue to
39
innovate, expand its product portfolio and to start manufacturing
everything in India.

SUGGESTIONS:

 Cost should be such that can be affordable by each and every

person.

 For making the product available to the customer

technology need to be developed.

 One most important thing is “awareness level”. It needs to be

increased in daily life.

 For increasing the awareness level it needs to be marketed

properly by which consumption can be done.

 Continuously innovate and come out with product variations

across categories to meet the expectations of a varied .class
of customers

 Need to improve productivity and efficiency.

40
Washing machine market in the
years 2006 and 2007
In 2006, the major players controlled 85% of the market while in
2007, the share of major players in washing machine market has been
reduced to 70%, and the rest 30% of the market is controlled by
smaller players. In 2006, the sales for washing machines was about
1.8 million units, while in 2007, the total market is going to be a
whopping 2.2 million units. 

SAMSUNG India launches its new range of Fully Automatic

Washing machines with Silver Nano Technology
14 models of Fully automatic Front Loading and Top Loading
washing machines launched

LG eyes 30% share in washing machine

market
41
BS Reporter / New Delhi July 23, 2008, 14:20 IST

In a bid to capture 30 per cent market share in the washing

machine market in India this year, durables major LG
Electronics India Limited (LGEIL) , today unveiled its top
loading washing machines.

"This is a growing market and the consumer is looking out for

better options. The positioning of the washing machines will
be defined keeping in mind the requirements and demands
of the consumers. Through this launch, we aim at a 30 per
cent market share in washing machine category in India by
year end." V Ramachandran, Director – Sales and Marketing,
LGEIL said.

The LG Top Loader machine has a turbo drum that is said to

increase the washing performance by 22 per cent. The
positioning of the new top loader has been defined as per the
needs of the consumers based on the extensive study done
by LG on consumer segments and usage patterns. Through
this innovation, LG aims at bringing global innovations in the
washing machine segment to India. The Washing machine
will be available in different capacities and features catering
to premium segments as well as to style seeking consumer
segments. The washing machines will be available at the
price range  of  Rs 14,000 to Rs 30,000 and the speech
version models will be starting from Rs17,000 to Rs 20,000.

The washing machine market in India is estimated to be

about 1.95-2 million units and constitutes 33 per cent of the
durables market.

42
Whirlpool Eyes 22% Market Share

CHENNAI: In its centenary year of inventing the washing machine,

Whirlpool is launching a slew of products in this segment in a bid to
up its marketshare. It is eyeing a 22% share of the Rs 2,100-crore
washing machine market in India by December, up from its current
15%. 

"Our growth strategy this year would be to strengthen our core

segments — refrigerators and washing machines," Whirlpool India
vice-president (marketing) Shantanu Das Gupta told ET on
Wednesday. He was in the city for the launch of a new range of fully
automatic washing machines in the 6 to 8 kg category. 

An investment of $4 million went into developing the new range,

mostly on account of laying a new production line at its Pondicherry
plant to produce some of the higher capacity models. He added
there would be more action on the washing machine front in the
semi-automatic segment later this year. 

The company is planning a marketing campaign for the new range

starting February. Whirlpool's annual advertisement spend stood at
around Rs 60 crore in FY08. 

Washing machines contribute to 25% to Whirlpool India's turnover.

Refrigerators account for 55%. the balance comes from microwaves,
air conditioners and water purifiers (a segment which the company
stepped into only last year). There will also be some new models of
refrigerators and air conditioners in summer, Mr Shantanu said. 

43
On the effect of the financial slowdown, Mr Shantanu said it would
take another couple of months to ascertain if the markets are back
on track. He added the planning cycle at Whirlpool India was now
being done on a quarter to quarter basis rather than on an annual
basis. 

Whilrpool has three plants in India — Faridabad (direct cool

refrigetrators), Pune (frost free refrigerators) and Pondicherry
(washing machines). 

The new models are all in a price range of Rs 12,000 to Rs 24,000.

Whirlpool India vice-president Tamal Kanti Saha said the some of the
new models have been introduced at lower price points than usual
for the features on offer to give customers the benefit of falling input
prices like steel. 

Washing machines have an overall penetration of 9% in the country,

across both urban and rural markets.

SHARE MARKET
44
Whirlpool of India Ltd.

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259.96
240.0
NSE -3.55 240.80 596278
0
(- Quantit Quantit 236.5
589 0 Low 126.23
1.47%) y y 0

LTP*  52 Prv
Bid Offer Open Intra Day Volume
Apr 23, 16:01 Week Close

237.1 243.9
237.15 Price 5
Price 0.00 High
0
259.59
243.9
BSE -3.55 240.70 277482
0
(- Quantit Quantit 236.1
47 0 Low 126.02
1.47%) y y 0

Voltas Ltd.

LTP*
Bid Offer Open Intra Day 52 Week Prv Close Volume
Apr 23, 15:54

182.70 Price 0.00 Price 182.70 High 185.45 191.60

NSE 184.70 183.85 221373
-1.15
Quantity 0 Quantity 3162 Low 181.60 50.00
(-0.63%)

LTP*
Bid Offer Open Intra Day 52 Week Prv Close Volume
Apr 23, 16:01

182.60 Price 0.00 Price 182.60 High 185.50 191.40

BSE 184.00 183.60 59278
-1.00
Quantity 0 Quantity 10 Low 180.75 55.00
(-0.54%)

47
Conclusion

During the preparation of my project report, I took into account

many important factors regarding the marketing strategies of
these companies and going by my observation and experience.
I can infer LG, IFB, VIDEOCON, WHIRLPOOL . is a consumer
oriented and it products better quality goods at increased in
extreme circumstances only.

48
Bibliography

Websites

 http://www.google.com
 http://www.esnibs.com
 http://www.wikipedia.com
 http://www.scribd.com

49