PRODUCTION AT SINGLE FACTORIES IN WHIRLPOOL

Question1:

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of consolidating production of product lines at single factories in the EU.

Answer 1:

In order to boost the European economy and create jobs the Single Market Act was adopted by the European Commission.  The Act was put into effect to create the European Union as a common market with the aim of eliminating conflicting national regulations and trade barriers. The EU countries can have goods, services, capital and people circulate freely in the EU region. This also included providing citizens the opportunity to study, work or do business anywhere in the EU region (EUBusiness, 2010). This has had some very definite advantages. It leads to the creation of many more jobs and therefore increased prosperity with a growing GDP. Travelling and shopping has become very consumer friendly, consumers can now travel anywhere within EU without a passport , they can purchase goods with no restriction on the quantity being purchase, have full consumer rights and need not undergo checks at borders(EUBusiness, 2007). Lifting the trade barriers has meant a wider range of products and services to choose from and the opening up of national markets have resulted in higher competition and lower prices.  There is on benchmark to weigh the standard of products and services which mean safer products with an equally good quality of products and services are assured across the EU. There is a single framework to which manufacturers and service providers need to refer to, thereby reducing the red tapism that is inherent when you have a large number of complex and different national laws (EUBusiness, 2007).Factors like average cost of setting up a new company, getting the registration done for the same and the cost of compliance for businesses has now become much easier. The absence of border bureaucracy has increased trade within the EU and cut delivery time and cost. Governments and business can now allocate the money and resources to better the products and services they provide to their people rather than put in all that effort to get clearances and paper work organized (EUBusiness, 2007).

However, the European single market has not been free from controversies. The four main pillars for the single market have been frère movement of capital, goods, services and people, approximation of relevant laws, administrative provisions and regulations between member states, an EU wide competition policy and lastly a system of common external tariffs. While the European market has advanced considerably there are some inherent drawbacks to it. There is and always will be a varying level of economic development and language barriers even if trade barriers have been removed. Member states will always compete with one another at an economic level and factors such as internal borders, cross border police and the differing systems of civil law and judicial co-operation all effect the smooth functioning of the single European Market(Politics.Co.UK). Any member of the European Single Market quitting will result in a lot of instability in the region. For example, when the UK joined the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1990 there was relative currency stability in Europe until it was forced to leave in 1992. Their exit showed that the system was not as robust as it was thought to be (Think quest). It has also been argued that an independent central bank would be undemocratic and governments need to have control over the bank or else they lose control over policies. The system is considered by many to have deflationary tendencies.

Offenders that are those who are not implementing in full the rules of the single market can block opportunities for other member nations. For example, Italy had to abolish a set of technical rules that restricts how trailers are attached to tractors and it as still not done that (Bized). Doing away with all barriers and checks on borders will lead to creating a safe haven for criminal elements as well as make the environment conducive to having a monopoly which could further lead to price hike in products and services(Bized). Potential problems could also arise due cultural differences and disparity between member states.

Elimination of national borders within the EU has had its pros and cons. However, the pros seem to outweigh the cons as the single market concept has helped manufacturers to cut the cost of product development as well as the production cost with a single location equipped with all machinery, inventory, raw material and labor. Logistics and physical distribution management become easier and products do not have to be customized to meet the requirements of the various governments.  The manufacturers can concentrate on enhancing the product or service and get the competitive edge.  On the other hand, Concentration of manufacturing at one point can prove to be very costly if production stops or slow down due strikes or other factors that lead to a slowdown in production. There is also the extra cost of upkeep and maintenance of different locations as well as transportation of goods and people from one location to the other. If you have multiple production locations you have the option of carrying on with business as usual. Also, rules and regulations for all industries and sectors have to be harmoniously standardized to avoid impediments in the delivery of products and services across the region.

There are still many gaps in what was expected from an integrated European market and the reality that the European citizens experience. The single market was expected to do much better than how it has fared. However, overall, the single market stands to gain on many significant factors. Since 1993, at least a minimum of 2.5 million jobs have been created as a result of removal of barriers. This has also lead to increased wealth in the region. In the last ten years the economy has seen an average increase of € 6000 per family in the EU (European Commission). Not only this, the range and quality of products available have increased and prices have converged with a downward tit in most cases (European Commission). The European court of justice has clarified the principles for freedom of establishment and free movement of services and tremendous progress in the fields of financial services, transport, telecommunications, broadcasting, etc has been made (European Commission).

Question 2:

Should Whirlpool continue to produce and market in Europe its three product lines (Bauknecht, Whirlpool and Ignis), which span the entire white –goods market, or should it focus on one market niche? Explain

Answer 2:

Whirlpool is aggressively targeting the European markets and wants to capitalize on the opportunity of no barriers for a pan European business.  Whirlpool is looking at getting the competitive edge by cutting costs that do not lead to customer perception of greater satisfaction and re-directing the same to value add to the characteristics of the products and services offered so as to make Whirlpool the preferred brand. Whirlpool is targeting the European markets and has tried to gain control over the white good production facilities and distribution systems by acquiring the appliance business of Philips Industries. Philips is a large Netherlands based MNC and acquiring the same has enabled Whirlpool to not only exploit the experience Philips has in the market but also helped achieving economies of scale and scope by controlling its production facilities and distribution systems (Zainbooks). Their business strategy seems to be based on the Global Strategic Rivalry theory by Paul Krugman (1980).Krugman had conducted a study on firms that were successful in competing in the international markets. According to Krugman (1980) firms that strived to reach economies of scale and scope, pursued research and development and were innovative so as to be able to have a competitive edge by owning intellectual property right to important and useful technologies were very likely to do well in their acquisition of the international market.

It will facilitate Whirlpools business plans for the European market if they were to target all segments of the society. The three products they producing and marketing across the European markets ranges from Bauknecht being a premium upscale product to Whirlpool being for the middle segment and Ignis targeting the price sensitive consumers and being of relatively lower price range. Considering that Whirlpool is a large business enterprise the complex administrative and legal requirements will not be a hindrance for a firm as large as Whirlpool and will only serve it better in the long run. This multi pronged approach of targeting different consumer profiles will only solidify the firm’s position in the market and make it a brand to reckon with. Though in every business environment there are risks attached to producing certain goods and services, the EU legislation is aiming to harmonize technical regulations , more so, for higher- risk product sectors( European Commission).The best part about targeting various segments in Europe is that there are no set limits for the amount that consumers can buy  and carry along when travelling in the EU countries. This greatly enhances Whirlpool’s market opportunities for not only targeting a wide spectrum of consumer profile but also intelligently using market research and offering a more varied range of products that are required by European consumers from various strata’s of their society(European Commission).

Whirlpool seems to have done a good analysis of the costs, benefits and risks associated with entering a new market. By targeting all three segments with the white goods they have a better chance of tapping into at least one of these segments, if not all. Taking advantage of removal of barriers for doing pan European business, Whirlpool has consolidated the 13 separate national sales offices that they had for these products into five regional operations, thereby saving costs and enhancing productivity.

Whirlpool has redeployed its manufacturing units to use one location for a particular white good, which can then be distributed across the European market. For example, Trento, Italy is for manufacturing refrigerators where as in Shondorf, Germany is for automatic washers and Wroclaw, Poland for cook top and oven appliances for the entire European market.  It should continue with selling all three product lines in order to penetrate deeper and at all levels in the European market.

There has also been a fair amount of investment from whirlpool , so to begin with ,until they establish themselves in the European markets as well as the North American markets , it is better to try and reach out to the different consumer profiles that the EU has to offer. Porters’ cost leadership strategy seems to be driving Whirlpool’s European plan. As per Michael Porter (1985) the following factors need to be in favor of the company that is trying to gain the competitive edge in the international market using cost leadership theory as the basis: Rivalry with existing competitors ,Bargaining power of the buyers, Bargaining power of the suppliers, Potential entrants and Product substitute. As is evident from the facts in the case study, Whirlpool is making every attempt to reduce the costs of production and coming up with products with features acceptable to customers (Open Learning World).Acquiring Polar SA , a polish enterprise was part of the endeavor to have a low cost production platform that can cater to the entire single market. It has not only tried to control the cost but also build efficient.

Whirlpool is moving on the right tracks to acquire the European market. If it settles for one niche product the chances of earning good returns may reduce as Whirlpool is not the only player in the market. For example Germany’s Bosch Siemens Hausgerate has invested money to maintain the innovativeness of the appliances it produces. It is now offering products that are much more efficient and the energy and water used is considerably less. It has also reduced the cost by automating the facilities as against using expensive labor. There is enough and more competition in the region for whirlpool to simply focus on one niche product.  Considering that competitors like Electrolux are already trying to control the market by reducing costs Whirlpool will fare better if it tries to reach deep into the European Market. Whirlpool has already been ranked the third white goods manufacturer in Europe. The company’s market share has increased and so has the percentage of the global sales revenue. There is no reason why Whirlpool should make a switch from covering brands for all segments to simply targeting one niche product. The strategy acts as a shield or a hedge against economic cycles. Even though Whirlpool is targeting three different segments with three different products , the  process of production and the components that overlap can all be standardized by Whirlpool and it can achieve economies of scale  by coming up with the standardized components that meet the needs of all three different products. Though by producing white goods for all segments, whirlpool is risking drifting away from the image of a purely premium product company. But once the brand establishes itself in the region, it can choose to accelerate and market the three products differently and further strengthen its position. There is also the potential threat of creating competition for its own goods by having three products from the same company in the market, however, this is a risk whirlpool will have to take to at least find out what is the kind of market it has for its goods in Europe. To conclude, Whirlpool’s strategy of using three different product lines that cater to different segments of the economy does have certain pitfalls that Whirlpool may have to work around. However, this seems like the best possible position for the company to create a name for itself with the European consumers.

Question 3.

Evaluate the benefits Whirlpool gain by broadening the whirlpool brand name from a North American brand to a global one?

Answer 3.

Global expansion is the ultimate goal for big as well as small enterprises. International expansion if not only important, it is also essential to ensure continued growth and profitability for the business. The markets in the United States of America are almost saturated and this call for businesses to identify potential markets and target consumers across the globe (Luxury Daily).Brand value plays a very crucial role in introducing and establishing products in newer markets. A positive image about the good and services offered by a company, in the minds of its potential consumers refers to brand value (Mashable Business). Companies invest in people, marketing gimmicks, sales offers, after sales services and more only to create a positive status in the minds of its intended audience. Whirlpool has been a name to reckon with in North America. Its strategy to move into the European markets post dilution of boundaries for trade between countries of the European Union is aimed not only at maximizing this business opportunity but with a long term aim of acquiring a strong foothold and market share in Europe. While it is the obvious next step for Whirlpool to target new markets, it will face stiff competition from the local players who are well established and know the market inside out. Whirlpool’s strategy for broadening its base will have to focus not only on understanding its consumers but also on understanding the competition, what it stands to offer, and how it fares with the European consumers. Even with an excellent report card from the United States in terms of performance and quality of products, Whirlpool will need to shed the American lens and understand the European market according to the culture and customer needs that prevail there.

Financially whirlpool has already spent $2 billion to implement its European Strategy and has budgeted for more investment in the region. In addition, acquisitions that bring cost down and add to the profit margins for the company and value addition to the goods have been done.  Whirlpool will gain considerably from this strategic move.  A good brand strategy will enhance the firm’s presence and visibility across different markets and give it a good foothold in newer global markets. Firstly, the market share of the company goes up in the international markets and so does the revenue. The Company also gets insulated from only having a huge share in the saturated markets of America and has other sources of revenue generation and profit making. Secondly, brand campaigns can be used for the multiple products. Whirlpool’s European strategy will not only introduce its line of products in a new market but also leverage on the products being introduced. Further expansion of brand Whirlpool will also be based on the successful launch and acquisition of the markets in Europe. Whirlpool in its European strategy has targeted not only a niche segment but also the middle level and the e price sensitive level and offered products that are relatively low on price but high on customer satisfaction and value. This will facilitate the growth of the company name and penetration of the brand name in all segments of the market thereby increasing the pool of potential customers. Strategic acquisitions, like the Polar SA has not only given Whirlpool the advantage of low cost manufacturing , its connection with a local company has added to its credibility and creates a perception of trustworthiness for those potential customers who are aware of the local  brand Polar SA but not with Whirlpool.  This however, could even backfire, if customers in Europe have mixed review about Polar SA. The connection of Whirlpool with another company would mean that the reputation of one company would automatically trickle down to the other and show in the company’s revenues.

To get the extra edge in the European markets, Whirlpool has invested in the up-gradation and modernization of its manufacturing units. It has centralized its logistics, information technology and consumer services to take advantage of the situation in EU, where you can sell your products in any country within the region. In addition to this, whirlpool also consolidated its sales offices and that has further enabled them to reduce cost and enhance productivity. The European strategy has not only enhanced whirlpool’s position in the European market but it has also lead to transfer of technology between North American and European operations.  For example, whirlpool’s Ohio division had developed a line of clothes dryer with features of easier loading and unloading and gentler treatment of clothes. Whirlpool Europe now produces a line of such effective cloth dryers. Also, Whirlpool’s US engineers are taking help from the European engineers to adapt to energy efficient, horizontal –axis washing machines for the North American markets in order to meet the federal energy efficiency standards. These machines are very common in Europe. So whirlpool has advanced technologically by picking up with the best it has in its respective regions and duplicating the same in other regions if that leads to greater productivity.

Whirlpool entry into Europe has not only lead to its acquiring a share in the international market but also helped in reducing the gap in revenues and clientele that it has across different markets. Since the products do not need to be customized for each market respectively in Europe, the firm has been able to standardize its internal components to offer the same quality product throughout. The European situation  has helped whirlpool to not only standardize its products but as a result of that it has also been successful in reducing cost and turning the saving into more value addition into the product for the European customers and getting the extra edge .

The firm’s strategy of targeting markets according to the income level has also helped them seep into the European market which has traditionally had profit margins much lower than their North American manufacturers. This approach will also ensure that the revenues are not hit drastically in case of any economic ups and downs. Even the manufacturing has been reorganized so that the production of different appliances is concentrated in different areas, thereby, leading to economies of scale for Whirlpool.

The European strategy has lead to whirlpool gaining far more than just brand expansion. It has lead to cost cutting, savings, value addition to the product, transfer of technology and a greater market share in the international arena. The company has already started witnessing an increase in the European revenues which means that Whirlpool is no longer restricted to being a brand to reckon with only on North America. Continued efforts to make Whirlpool a brand that is well recognized and accepted locally will enable Whirlpool achieve its business plans of global expansion and capturing newer markets successfully.

Question 4.

In the light of the aggressive responses of Electrolux and Bosh Siemens Hausgerate, should whirlpool revise or abandon its European Strategy?

Answer 4.

Most countries of the world, the Gross Domestic Product has International trade as an important component (My own Business).Whirlpool is not the only white goods manufacturer that is looking to take advantage of the no barriers for pan European trade situation. It has strong competitors who are doing everything they can to turn the situation around in their favor. For example, German firm called Bosch Siemens Hausgerate is one of its main competitors in the European region. Bosch Siemens has pumped money into its research and development to maintain the innovativeness of its appliances. The efficiency of the dishwashers they offer has been drastically increased. The energy usage for their dishwashers has been reduced by 62 percent and the water usage has come down by 32 percent compared to the products they offered two decades ago.  Since the cost of labor is very high in Germany, the Siemens have invested in automating its production facilities in Germany and built new factories in Poland, Spain and Czech Republic. They have supposedly spent $ 350 million on the automation of the facilities.

Sweden’s Electrolux, a firm that competes with Whirlpool for the number one spot in the white goods market acquired the appliance business of AEG Hausgerate from Daimler – Benz.  It already has a decent presence in Europe with the market share being between 20 -25 percent. This acquisition has increased the market share for Electrolux even further. It is also looking at doing some aggressive cost cutting by reducing its payroll by 12,000 and closing 25 factories.

These and more competitive players exist in the European market and every firm wants to have the extra edge.  Despite this Whirlpool is confident about its European strategy. It has already succeeded in establishing itself as the number three white – goods manufacturer in Europe.  A sizeable chunk of 22 percent from its global sales revenue of $14.3 billion was generated by Whirlpool in Europe in 2005. This proves that Whirlpool’s European strategy is on track.  It has achieved economies of scale by consolidating the manufacturing units. It has also clearly made profit, however, since consumer taste and preferences swing, it has to be open to and ready with alternate plans to plug loop holes if any.

Whirlpool needs to keep a close watch not only on its consumer’s preferences but also its competitors and pick up best practices in the market. It will need to invest in product modification to suit the needs of the European market better than the competition, be it , in terms of packaging or promotional material or the product itself(My own Business). Be it research and development or mergers and acquisitions, it will need to be focused and aware of the markets so as to not let competition get ahead.  It has the advantage of having three product lines that cater to different segments of the European consumers. This gives whirlpool a huge advantage to increase revenues with niche products and price sensitive products, at the same time. The firm has to constantly identify opportunities for strengthening its position in the international market. Whirlpool’s European strategy is on the right tracks. It has started off by acquiring national brands with limited visibility to get the platform for low cost production. It is also focused on standardizing its internal component and products so that the same quality of products is offered across the market. Since Whirlpool’s international sales revenues have only gone up ever since they implemented their European strategy they have every reason to stay and grab a bigger chunk of the market. The Strategy they adopt to further enhance and strengthen their position in the international market will determine whether the European strategy worked well for Whirlpool. It will have to identify which are the key brands and work towards the extension of the same. Brand positioning will also play a crucial role here.  Brand positioning refer to the approach a firm uses to set its brand apart from its competitors on the basis of benefits or attributes that are unique to your products (Drypen).The strategy adopted by Whirlpool will be instrumental in the position that Whirlpool has in the market now and in the future. They can position the products on the basis of the attributes and benefits that the product has to offer or by best price and quality of the product. Use or Application of the product can also be used to catch the consumer’s attention. One strategy for positioning products is to compare with the competitors and show how the product is better than what others in the market are offering.  Products are also used in connection with cultural symbols to establish the necessary link with the potential customers ( Drypen).

Whirlpool is a significant player in the European market as far as white goods are concerned. However, it will need to continuously enhance its product positioning strategies to tackle the competitors and capture a greater market share. It will need to delve deep into the European Consumer Psyche as well as the perception they hold for goods and services the competitors in the market are offering. It has to make its European expansion strategies aggressive enough to counter the comfort level created by other brands in the region.  The key would be to balance standardization against localization, that is, how much they need to adapt to the local market and how much originality they stick to viz-a-viz their brand (Info Barrel).  While Whirlpool has to ensure it serves its customers around the world with quality products alike, tailor making it to serve the consumers and counter the competitors effectively will be key in capturing the European and other international markets.  While doing so it will also need to cater to its corporate social responsibilities and integrate the social and environmental concerns of the region into their operations, better than what the competition is doing (Info Barrel). It will need to handle pressures of cost and local responsiveness better than the competition in order to gain a larger chunk of the market.

Question 5.

Critically examine whether it is possible to design and sell the same basic appliance around the world?

Answer 5.

Heavy consumer durables used to be painted in white enamel, for example, the air conditioner, refrigerator and stoves used to all be painted in white enamel and were therefore known as white goods (Wise Geek). For any appliance, nowhere in the world is the mains voltage the same. The number of times the current changes its direction per second that is the frequency also differs from place to place (World Standards). There is a fundamental problem in marketing and selling the same basic appliance around the world. Appliances and gadgets that consumers purchase from outside their resident country cannot be applied to the plugs. Adaptors are used for such appliances that are not compatible with the plugs and voltage requirement of the customer’s home country (world Standards).However, the voltage disparity cannot be tackled with the adaptor. For example Preference is therefore always more for products that are compatible with the power and voltage requirements. For example, if you use a 120 volt electrical appliance that was originally designed for use in North America or Japan will lead to fireworks if plugged into a European socket (World Standard).Producing one basic appliance for different regions across the world is not a viable option and will only add to the cost of manufacturing if it lacks in even one single voltage or frequency.  Not only does the voltage levels vary from region to region, the energy consumption levels also vary and have to be catered to. Energy efficiencies of consumer durables like refrigerators and air conditioners etc varies greatly. Labeling programs and minimum energy performance standards for selection of electrical appliances has been introduced by many countries in order to slow down or even reverse the trend in electricity consumption of households (World Energy Council).   For launching appliances in Europe as well as in Australia energy levels and standards have played a vital role in the consumption of energy and purchase of these goods (World Energy Council). The most efficient appliance in the market sets the tone of the products that are launched next with regard to consumption of energy and cost to the customer.

Even if the above scenario was not true and appliances with the same volt and frequency could be used across the globe, it is important to understand the cultural differences that exist between two regions before coming up with a product for that region.  There are marked cultural differences in the kind of appliances that are used and the extent to which they are used across the world. If the firms come up with one single product for its distribution across regions it will lead to a dissatisfied consumer and a product that is just about average.  Firms need to be sensitive to the domestic environment of the target market. For example dish washers are used extensively in the United States; however, in most of South Asia their usage is heavy only in select areas as you get domestic help at a very reasonable price. Also, at some places there is a shortage of water and electricity and the gadgets have to be so designed that they can take the load and be cost efficient for the consumers.

Whirlpool, as has been cited in the case study, has been very sensitive to the environment and needs of the customers in their European Strategy implementation. To begin with, they have launched products to cater to all the segments of the society. They have catered to the niche products, the middle range clientele as well as the price sensitive customer who prefers slightly lesser price range.  While it has tries to standardize the internal components of the products being manufactured and also concentrated the production of certain parts at specific location to attain economies of scale, the end product that they come out with is customized as per the needs to the local population. For example, it concentrates on the production of refrigerators for the European customers in Trento, Italy where as for Schondorf, Germany the focus is on automatic washers.  A lot of investment goes into understanding the consumer psyche and coming up with quality products that meet their needs. Other players in the white goods market like Bosch Siemens Hausgerate is investing heavily in the research and development and has already launched products that are using lesser electricity and water. It is imperative for any firm, if it wants to capture the market, to ensure that the cultural and environmental needs of that region are well understood.

The design and features that appliances offer have to be in line with the cultural sensitivities and environmental requirements. Not only will this lead to better returns for the firm, it will also lead to greater satisfaction for the customer and therefore repeat business and a share in the international markets. Countries across the world can vary on levels of energy consumption, energy savings and maintenance levels and appliances being launched need to adhere to these regional specifications and regulations in order even make an entry in the markets. The mains voltage varies from region to region and so do the electrical systems and therefore no one appliance can be standardized completely to serve the needs to consumers across the globe.  Though most appliances are built in a manner that a certain percentage above or below the rated voltage can be tolerated, however, severe variations will not only damage the appliance it can have serious consequences for life and property around. Some component of the appliance may be standardized; however, the basic appliance will necessarily differ if it has to create a place in the market. Extensive market research on consumers, competition and the government regulations for the target region would need to be done before manufacturing household appliances that are used on a day to day basis. One error or miscalculation in terms of the regulations and electrical systems can close the market opportunities for the brand in the market in question but also be a major hindrance for expansion into other markets.

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