Haier South Africa said it expects to become the country’s top home appliance brand. The Chinese company made the claim at a product launch at Summerplace in Sandton, Johannesburg, on 29 October 2026.
Chief executive Xinliang Sun said early signs suggest the company will soon claim the number one spot. He based this on a Euromonitor International ranking of global major appliance brands by retail volume. It placed Haier first for 17 years in a row, from 2009 to 2025.
“We are in this business to stay,” Sun said. He said the company’s focus was on consumers, and specifically on the needs of local households.
Haier only entered the South African market in February 2026. It prepared for this at the end of 2024 by buying geyser maker Kwikot for R2.45 billion.
Sun said the formal entry was followed by new products and partnerships with local retailers and regional warehouses. He said the company had built brand exposure and won over local customers in the past seven months.
The company faces a crowded local market. Its rivals include Bosch, Defy, Samsung, Smeg, LG, Russell Hobbs, Kenwood, Milex and Hisense.
At the launch, Haier showed its Horizon Series and Flexmo Series refrigerators, a Multi-Wash washing machine and a QLED TV. Mohammed Russel of Haier said the Horizon Series focuses on everyday food storage and household use. He said it has adaptive shelves and keeps the original flavour of food.
Russel said the Flexmo Series offers more options for different home spaces and lifestyles. According to the company, the refrigerators also have defrosting functions, remove food odours and include an ice-making compartment.
Washing machine manager Michelle Mkhchyan said the 12kg Multi-Wash front loader has three drums in one unit. She said this lets users wash loads such as underwear, socks and sports gear separately. The machine also has an ultraviolet sterilisation function, Mkhchyan said.
The QLED TV on display features Google TV and gaming applications.
Product engineer Juan Basson said refrigerators carry a five-year warranty on the whole product, with parts and labour included. “Inverter compressors are covered by a lifetime spare-part warranty, with labour charged separately,” he said. Non-inverter compressors carry a five-year warranty.
Basson said front-load and top-load washing machines with a direct drive motor carry a five-year warranty on the whole product. Models with an inverter motor or normal motor carry three years. He said Haier’s warranty policy was better than those of its rivals, which he said carry shorter cover.
Haier also uses football to connect with consumers. It has partnered with Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain. In September 2026, it announced that it would become a Global Partner of the UEFA Champions League from the 2027/28 season.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Technology. Image: IOL Technology. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Technology desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Werner Jacobs covers technology for Tzaneen Voice. Werner reports on mobile networks, data prices, internet access, smartphones, apps, AI, cybersecurity and South African tech companies. Each story explains what a new product, price change or policy means for ordinary users in South Africa.