F&P cements NZ as global centre for R&D

EMBARGOED 6am  Wednesday 12th June 2013

Media Statement

F&P cements NZ as global centre for R&D as it rolls out biggest range of NZ-designed products in eight decades

+ Global release of 70 new products kicks off in New Zealand
+ R&D expansion accelerates search for top local talent

A successful growth plan and consistent investment into Fisher & Paykel’s R&D centres in Auckland and Dunedin over the past five years has paid off as the company prepares to release the largest number of new products at any one time in its history.

The global launch of up to 70 new products begins in New Zealand with a nationwide Roadshow to introduce the products to retailers over the next few months. The bulk of the new products are in kitchen appliances, with innovations also featured in refrigeration and laundry lines. All new products are expected to be available to New Zealand consumers from September 2013.

Daniel Witten-Hannah, Fisher & Paykel’s Executive Vice President of Product Development and Marketing, says that each range has a design or technology platform capable of leading cooking, laundry and refrigeration globally.

“World-leading innovation and quality has been what our development teams have been focusing on over the past five years, and this range is the result. We have developed what we believe is a game-changer in cooking appliances – a 60cm oven that has up to 30% more capacity inside than competitor models of this size.  Our designers pulled the 60cm standard oven apart and reconstructed it so this model has 77 litres of usable capacity inside.”

The unique active venting technology in the 9 and 11 function oven models essentially allows customers to cook like a chef, perfecting moist roast meats and crisp roast vegetables at the same time, in the same space.  “The best thing is, this oven is no bigger externally than other models on the market, so no kitchen modifications are required to be able to cook more food, with better results,” Mr Witten Hannah said.

The new built-in oven, along with Fisher & Paykel’s innovative gas on glass cooktop, has already received the prestigious international design award known as ‘Red Dot’, before the product hits the shop floor.
Mr Witten-Hannah says of the 70 products, around 50% are completely new to their product lines, with the balance featuring high quality upgrades to existing models.

“In laundry we have designed the first front loader washing machine with SmartDrive technology.  Front loaders in New Zealand typically only have long-cycle washes, but the technology we’ve applied to the new front loader allows customers to put larger loads through wash cycles shorter than 60 minutes. The technology makes it much quieter too, due to fewer parts used.

”Refrigeration also gets enhancements across the range, with new technology on the interface and innovations internally, improving capacity and functionality for consumers.”
Chief Executive Stuart Broadhurst, says the quality of the products in this range is the best he has seen.

“We have made investment in product quality our top priority in recent years, and this range has been in the pipeline for several years now.

“Our focus is now on establishing Fisher & Paykel’s New Zealand operations as the centre of excellence for R&D for the Group worldwide.  The teams we’re assembling now will be critical to achieving our goal for Fisher & Paykel to become the world’s leading premium whiteware company.

“Our recruitment for around 100 new jobs is progressing successfully, with great talent being sourced locally. Our plans for growth continue to accelerate which means if we get more good applicants than the initial 100, we’ll certainly look at hiring them.

“Expansion in Fisher & Paykel’s R&D will have an obvious ripple effect to smaller New Zealand businesses and contractors we work with as the more productive we are, the busier they are. The net result is a positive cycle of growth for New Zealand as profits from these products will continue to be invested back into growing New Zealand R&D as one of the centres of excellence for the Group.”

Daniel Witten-Hannah says the positions are for scientists, designers and engineers, who are all ‘part chef’.

“The company’s passion for cooking and all things kitchen is infectious. If you join us without it, it won’t be long before you’re in the kitchen, a bit obsessed with testing products like the rest of us.  It’s part of what gives us our competitive advantage.”
Fisher & Paykel’s retailer Roadshow begins in Auckland on June 12, visiting retailers in eight centres nationally.

ENDS

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