LG 2007 Annual Report Download - page 26

DA
Digital Appliance
Company
For a company in the “white goods” business,
we have got quite a colorful lineup. Today’s
home appliances not only have to work well.
They have to look good. At LG Electronics,
stylish design and smart technology make
our appliances really stand out. Not just in
international design competitions, but where
it really counts. Your home.
We put three years of flat growth soundly behind us in 2007 as sales
climbed nearly 18% to USD 12.6 billion and operating profit rose 5.7% to
USD 724 million. Key factors in this robust performance included grow-
ing revenues from premium products worldwide, new channel partners
in the US, commercial air conditioners in Europe, and off-season air
conditioner purchases in Korea. In 2008, we expect solid growth across
Europe and emerging markets to largely offset a slowdown in the US.
We believe our rapidly expanding commercial air conditioning business
and a steady stream of new products will provide solid momentum for
profitable growth as we target sales of USD 13.3 billion.
AIR CONDITIONERS In 2007, our power-saving inverter technologies
and health-conscious features helped us make an exceptionally strong
showing in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe as we continued to lead
the global market. We launched a new range of outdoor units including
our Multi-V Water and Multi-V Plus 2 as we steadily expanded our V-Net
lineup of remote control accessories to make our commercial systems
the most flexible and scalable on the market. We also introduced Hybrid
XEO, our first renewable energy heating and cooling system and the
most efficient geothermal solution available to date, consuming ap-
proximately 30% less energy than conventional systems.
REFRIGERATORS We continued to solidify our top-three position in
the global refrigerator market in 2007. During the year, we introduced
refinements such as hidden door hinges, in-door icemakers that free-up
freezer space and provide convenient exterior access to water and ice,
VitaLight LED technology to keep vegetables fresher, and an improved
version of our Green Ion Door-Cooling system that eliminates mold, micro
bacteria, and unpleasant odors as it maintains a constant temperature
throughout the refrigerator compartment. We also continued to expand
our Swarovski-crystal studded Art Home series in collaboration with
renowned Korean artists.
WASHING MACHINES We led the US market for front-loading washers
as we continued to expand the capacity and functionality of our front-
loading washer and dryer lineup in 2007. We increased capacities to 15
kg and created a dryer control panel that can be rotated 180-degrees,
enabling unit stacking without compromising operating convenience.
COOKING APPLIANCES We continued to refine and expand our lightwave
oven family in 2007 with the new SolarCube series. Our lightwave tech-
nology uses a halogen heater to cook food up to four times faster than
conventional ovens while retaining all the flavor and nutrients.
VACUUM CLEANERS We continued to refine our bagless vacuum tech-
nology to meet consumer expectations in 2007. We introduced a simple-
but-effective dust compression technology that dramatically decreases
emptying frequency and dust escape as well as handy new features like
an extendable brush tool built into the grip handle and a new floor tool
designed to conveniently handle both carpet and hard floors.
BUILT-IN APPLIANCES Our full lineup of built-in ovens, hobs, hoods,
refrigerators, and dishwashers is designed to seamlessly and elegantly
integrate into any kitchen environment. Equipped with virtually all the
latest features of our freestanding appliances and several unique ones
of their own, our built-ins continue to grow in popularity across Europe.
HOME NETWORKING Our HomNet smart home solutions continued to
make inroads in the UAE and China in 2007. HomNet goes a step beyond
standard home automation systems to offer advanced control over
network-enabled LG home appliances and entertainment systems. It
also has a community management component to provide integrated
security, information, and communications services within residential
complexes. We continue to make plans to bring HomNet solutions to
consumers in the US, South Africa, and Europe in the near future.
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5
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1. Steam Washing Machine 2. Washer and Drier 3. 3-Door Refrigerator 4. ARTCOOL Air Conditioner 5. Lightwave Oven
6. Side by Side Refrigerator 7. Vacuum Cleaner with Dust Compression System 8. Steam Dishwasher