A little Dyson news....
Dyson in a spin as washer fails
By Rosie Murray-West, City Correspondent (Filed: 16/04/2005)
James Dyson, the man who turned the humble vacuum cleaner into a designer must-have, has given up on his revolutionary Contrarotator washing machine, because the product is making a loss.
The Contrarotator, which sells for almost £1,000, has two counter-rotating drums designed to mimic the action of handwashing. The company would not say yesterday how many of the machines, which have only been on the market in the UK, have sold, but said that the product "has done well in the market".
A spokesman said the company was not exiting the laundry sector, and would continue to research a product that could be sold internationally. "This is quite a brave decision", he said.
The Dyson machine is made in Malaysia, with the vacuum cleaners, after the company took the controversial decision to move its manufacturing from Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
The spokesman added that the move to Malaysia had not been about reducing the company's cost base but reinvesting the savings in research and development.
He would not say how much of a loss the company is making on the washing machine. Provision would be made for parts and service. "A loss is a loss", he said. The company has never provided any figures on the washing machines it makes.
The Dyson machine has been on the market since the end of 2000. It has been the focus of a spat between Which? and Mr Dyson after the consumer magazine said in 2001 that it was not good value for money, although it was complimentary about the machine's cleaning power.
Mr Dyson replied the machine cleaned better than the one it was compared with. He said Which? had said something similar about his vacuum cleaner and it was later featured as its Best Buy.
The Contrarotator is not the first innovative British washing machine to fall by the wayside. Monotub, set up to manufacture one called the Titan with a removeable basket, went into voluntary liquidation.
Dyson in a spin as washer fails
By Rosie Murray-West, City Correspondent (Filed: 16/04/2005)
James Dyson, the man who turned the humble vacuum cleaner into a designer must-have, has given up on his revolutionary Contrarotator washing machine, because the product is making a loss.
The Contrarotator, which sells for almost £1,000, has two counter-rotating drums designed to mimic the action of handwashing. The company would not say yesterday how many of the machines, which have only been on the market in the UK, have sold, but said that the product "has done well in the market".
A spokesman said the company was not exiting the laundry sector, and would continue to research a product that could be sold internationally. "This is quite a brave decision", he said.
The Dyson machine is made in Malaysia, with the vacuum cleaners, after the company took the controversial decision to move its manufacturing from Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
The spokesman added that the move to Malaysia had not been about reducing the company's cost base but reinvesting the savings in research and development.
He would not say how much of a loss the company is making on the washing machine. Provision would be made for parts and service. "A loss is a loss", he said. The company has never provided any figures on the washing machines it makes.
The Dyson machine has been on the market since the end of 2000. It has been the focus of a spat between Which? and Mr Dyson after the consumer magazine said in 2001 that it was not good value for money, although it was complimentary about the machine's cleaning power.
Mr Dyson replied the machine cleaned better than the one it was compared with. He said Which? had said something similar about his vacuum cleaner and it was later featured as its Best Buy.
The Contrarotator is not the first innovative British washing machine to fall by the wayside. Monotub, set up to manufacture one called the Titan with a removeable basket, went into voluntary liquidation.
