Haier is Bidding for Fisher and Paykel

[300c]

I noticed today an article in the Wall Street Journal that Haier has put in a bid for Fisher and Paykel. They already own 20% of the company. They're going for control.

Is this good or bad?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444017504577645153689391104.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[appnut]

IT'S BAD!!!!!!!!!  F&P makes good appliances for modern ones!! 

 

[gansky1]

Its official, Haier buys it all. Control of manufacturing plants, including facilities in Clyde, Ohio.

Hmmmm.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-11/haier-to-buy-rest-of-f-and-p-appliances-for-564-million

 

[arbilab]

I've never known a buyout resulting in better products. To the contrary.

 

[washer111]

WHAT!!!!

OK, my day is now ruined 

 

I can't bear the thought. Another local company being sold to China. You know, I hope China falls over one day, and the rest of the world can buy everything back from them, that, or they start to lift their quality control (Hint, Hint, Follow Apple's lead!)

 

Just when I thought Fisher & Paykel were really good, they are being sold the Haier (The BullShit company) - No more DishDrawer's for me, thanks (at least when they're new). 

 

I wonder if F&P gets to keep managing themselves, or if Haier are going to make them cut their quality... My crystal ball (which I've just gotten the Motherboard replaced on, ironically) seems to be saying that this will be the nail in F&P's coffin... For too long their quality was at "meh" level, now, they've lifted it, only to be bought by a company that believes very much in the Throw-Away society. (Consumer Society, more like it)

 

[frigilux]

Wow. This has the same ominous tone as "White Consolidated buys Frigidaire."

 

[Ultramatic]

Adieu Fisher & Paykel

<span style="font-size: medium;">Hello more chinese garbage. A dark day indeed.</span>

 

[appnut]

Stomach in knots, nauseated. 

 

[tolivac]

Poor F&P-we knew them well!

 

[mrb627]

Shame!

One of the most innovative companies around taken in their prime...

Malcolm

 

[mtn1584]

How to turn Quality products turned into shit...............

have Haier, the ultimate low-end shit company buy your company out. I bought my mother a "Maytag" brand, built by Haier fridge several years back, and the compressor died two years to the day after the purchase!! How do you say "shit" in Chinese. Looks like Whirlpool brand kitchen appliances only for me from now on.
Mike

 

[whirlykenmore78]

OH-NO

One of the few remaining Appliance Mfr's. with any quality is being sold to the biggest shit appliance Mfg. Co. of all.  Someone asked "how do you say shit in Chinese? Answer  Haier.

WK78

 

[aquarius8000]

And I was going to get a Haier!

And good job I did not! I have seen my aunt and uncle numerous times in NZ and their Fisher and Paykel and if they have been together for about 25 years and this was brought as a wedding present and since purchase has never faulted. They were going to buy another F&P washer to upgrade, now if I tell them this then they won't want to upgrade in a hurry!

Sad day for me aswell even though we don't get F&P here. Shame to see quality to waste.

Chris

 

[gansky1]

大条

Da Tiao

Poop, excrement, shit

劣质

lie zhi

shoddy; poor quality

 

[ozzie908]

F & P Dishdrawer.

Well am I glad I have nearly every part saved off a scrap machine and a few new ones, I sure won't buy a new machine but keep my older model running as long as I can

Austin

Ps how sad they sold out were they in trouble ?

 

[combo52]

Haier Buying F&P

I have a little different take on this,

 

1st F&P would have never survived on their own for much longer, while I am only familiar with the DDs, Refrigerators and TL washers that they have tried to sell here for the last 10+ years, it was obvious that they did not have quality products that would threaten to even make a dent in the north American market. The many customers that I have encountered with F&P appliances that had had them for any length of time were usually fed up with breakdowns and poor service available.

 

Yes F&P does have some very innovative products, but I dough they would ever been able to make the leap to be able to survive, I would compare them to the now defunct Saab Automobile Manufacturer.

 

As many of you know Haier was the other major bidder for MT when WP won out in the bidding process, and at first being a big WP fan I said Yay. But I soon realized that this merger has not been good for WP and certainly not for MT. WP has closed at least 10 of MTs former plants keeping only about two. If Haier had bought MT they would cretainly kept more plants open and they might have even been still building DC MT washers. We would have had more Americans working and consumers would have more choices of new appliances today. MTs going out of business is just one more example of corporate greed and mismanagement and is also another sad legacy to the Bush administration as the current administration would probably never allow a merger like this that only ends up hurting consumers.

 

It will be interesting to see what Haier does with the F&P technology, but overall I think it will be positive for the future of major appliances not only in this country but worldwide.

 

[a440]

I have never known anyone (besides a few club members) that enjoyed owning a F&P product.
Just about everyone that I have known in the past that purchased a F&P Washer, Dryer or Dishwasher had loads of Grief after the 1 year mark.
Check your local Craigslist for F&P products. Usually they state that it is a great machine, but not working at the time. Usually they say it is a "simple fix".
Brent

 

[arbilab]

Editorial:

Unless strenously supervised, Chinese industry uses the 'weapons' model. They look good in parades, and if you build 10,000-100,000 of them only 1 in 10 has to work to be considered a threat.

Further, unlike Japanese industrialists, Chinese appear to have no concept of reputation or ethics whatsoever. All Apple products are made in China, but Apple has to literally stand on Foxconn's neck to get what you'd call 'quality' out of them. Left to their own devices, China makes only junk, if not poison (dogfood, toothpaste).

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's how I see it.

 

[washer111]

F & P

Well, we have an F&P Freezer, Refrigerator and DishDrawer

 

We have friends who have a chest freezer of similar vintage (both ours are 1999). 

 

We have two lots of relatives (My grandparents and Great Uncle/Auntie) who both have DishDrawers from a similar time period. My grandfather doesn't use it (and hasn't really) because they don't feel it is economical enough on rain-water. He has an F&P washer from the late 90's which has been repaired, but only due to a mice infestation (LOL)

 

We have friends with the DDs that are very pleased with them. 

 

There are at least two members on here who are pleased with their DD's/F&P appliances. Maybe more that are lurking. I have to say, but F&P won the Refrigeration award and numerous others in recent times, so its hard to say they are "crap."

 

I'd say F&P might've fudged their designs for overseas markets - KA/WP sell rebranded F&P dish drawers, right? Aren't those absolutely garbage? 

 

By the way, our neighbours have an F&P cooktop/oven, which is around 5-6 years old. They are VERY pleased with it...

 

Perhaps the most interesting: Our DishDrawer was made in MEXICO. Not China (although some of it might be Chinese).

 

In regards to Apple: I can see why Apple has to jump on the Chinese for their products. I'd bet Apple would be more popular if they manufactured stuff in the U.S. but kept the prices roughly the same. 

You can see why companies such as Heller, Hisense and HP are all crap.

 

And all this is why we've ordered a Miele FL machine to replace the Simpson washer I recently wrote about!