Sales of China's Largest Air Conditioner Maker May Rise 12%The sales volume of China's largest air conditioner manufacturer, Gree Electronic Appliances Inc., of Zhuhai is expected to reach 8 billion yuan (about 960 million US dollars), up 12 percent over that of last year.Profits made by the company may be as much as 320 million yuan, compared with 270 million yuan last year, Xiao Chuanneng, assistant general manager of Gree, said at a press conference in Beijing Monday. "Technical upgrading and expansion of business overseas have contributed to the development of our company," Xiao said. This year, the production volume of Gree may increase 17 percent, he said, attributing this to the company's attention to the quality of goods, development of new products and adoption of a cut-price strategy. The quality of the company has been reliable, which has helped win market shares, he said. This year, the company has developed a dozen new products, such as mini air conditioners and energy-saving storage batteries. Since January, it has also lowered the prices of its products by 9 percent on average, he added. Customs statistics indicated that Gree has led Chinese air conditioner producers in exports for five years in a row, which sharpened its competitiveness edge. The products of Gree have entered Italy, Spain, Germany, United States and other countries. Last year, the company established a manufacturing center in Brazil with an annual capacity of 200,000 air conditioners. Gree was founded in the port city of Zhuhai in south China's Guangdong Province in 1991. At present, it has a registered capital of 780 million yuan and 4,500 employees. With a production capacity of 2.5 million air conditioners in 450 types, Gree has become China's largest manufacturer of air conditioners. |
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