Australia Edition 5

THE MARKET

In little more than a century the small electrical

appliance market inAustralia has developed into a

significant industry,with approximately14.7million

units sold each year, at a total value of more than

$910million.

Appliances such as irons and toasters, which

were once considered luxuries, have become

everyday household items.

With new segments evolving to meet consumer

demand and market trends, today’s aspirational

appliances include home espresso machines and

water filters, and products made from long-lasting

materials such as die-cast alloy, ceramic or stainless

steel.

While an influxof imported appliances fromAsia

in the early ‘90s saw a surge in cheaper commodity

products, recent market growth has primarily been

driven by product innovation. A strong focus on

local design and technology has resulted in

significant growth at the premiumendof themarket.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Sunbeam is the name behind many of Australia’s

iconic small appliances including the Mixmaster

Electric Frypan, Toastermatic

andProSteam

Iron.

Today Sunbeam is still the market leader, with

particular dominance in toasters, kettles, fryware,

electric blankets, irons, food processors, mixers and

novelty appliances.

Many innovative appliances have been the

creation of Sunbeam’s Australian based design

team. The first plastic jug-style kettle, aptly named

the Express Kettle

, was launched in 1984, and

revolutionised the kettle market. Utilising unique

‘fast boil’ technology that boiled one cup of water

in 30 seconds, it soldmore than 200,000 units in the

first 12 months.

Also released in 1984was theAustralianDesign

Awardwinning ‘Selectronic’iron. It was theworld’s

first electronic iron and featured a patented

‘automatic safety cut-out’ which represented a

significant advancement in safety. This feature has

since been licensed to manufacturers around the

world.

In collaboration with Paul Bassett, the youngest

person and onlyAustralian towin theWorldBarista

Championship, Sunbeam developed the world’s

first twin pump, twin thermoblock domestic

espressomachine in 2005. The innovative TPTT

system enabled the machine to pour espresso and

texture milk simultaneously like its commercial

counterparts.

Anothermarket leading launch for Sunbeamwas

theworld’s first “underfloor element” ceramic kettle.

Combining the beauty of ceramicwith 21st century

technology, this twist on a familiar design was

inspired by a growing trend in aspirational ceramic

tableware.

Sunbeam’s market leadership and innovation

extends beyond product design and development.

In 1987, for example, the company introduced the

12Month Replacement Guarantee across its entire

range of appliances. This was an Australian and

world first and continues to be a strong part of

Sunbeam’s commitment to product quality and

customer satisfaction.

As testament to its ongoing commitment to

design excellence, Sunbeam has 33Australian and

international design awards to its credit, including

the prestigious Red Dot and iF awards. Locally,

Sunbeamis themost awarded small appliancebrand,

recieving its seventh Australian Design Award in

2007 for the Ceramic Collection

Kettle.

HISTORY

Sunbeam’s reputation for creating quality products

dates back more than 85 years, when a sheep

shearing equipment manufacturer diversified into

small electrical appliances with the launch of the

‘Princess’ dry iron.

Since then, Sunbeam has been responsible for

driving trends in small appliance design and

technology, and established itself as an

internationally recognised and respected brand.

In 1996, Australian manufacturer and marketer

GUD Holdings added Sunbeam to its portfolio of

market leading brands which today includes Victa

lawncare products, OatesCleaning hardware, Ryco,

Wesfil and Goss automotive parts, and Davey

pumps and water pressure systems.

In 2004, Sunbeam established one of the largest

electric blanketmanufacturing facilities in theworld,

in a joint partnershipwith Europe’s leading electric

blanket producer. It was also during this period

that the Emjoi

epilator and FoodSaver

vacuum

bag sealer brandswere added to the Sunbeamrange.

Further cementing its position as a key

international small appliance designer andmarketer,

Sunbeam opened a Hong Kong subsidiary in 2007

to support its growing export program.

THE PRODUCT

Sunbeam continues to incorporateAustralian firsts

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