(Yicai) Sept. 10 -- Chinese home appliance companies strengthened their presence at the consumer and home electronics trade show held in Berlin, according to the industry director of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.

“Leading Chinese firms, such as TCL Technology, Hisense, Haier, Midea, and Honor, are attending the IFA this year,” Gao Shiwang told Yicai. “The proportion of Chinese brands at the show is improving.”

In the cleaning appliance section, the presence of Ecovacs Robotics, Roborock Technology, Dreame, and other Chinese sweeping robot makers was very prominent, Gao said, adding that Anker Innovation’s power banks and Aukeys’ charging cables also attracted many visitors.

Lenovo and Honor brought new products, such as artificial intelligence-powered personal computers, to the exhibition, Gao noted.

Chinese home appliance companies also increased their marketing presence at the IFA 2024, Gao pointed out. For example, TCL’s logo is visible on the lanyards for the exhibitor identification cards and on the front door of the exhibition hall. Haier and Midea also have marketing materials at the entrance of the exhibition hall.

The reason for such an aggressive advertisement strategy is that European customers heavily rely on loyalty to the brand, Li Yongping, general manager of TCL’s European marketing headquarters, told Yicai. New brands looking to enter the European market must come up with distinct products and innovative elements to impress consumers.

TCL has opened over 1,000 sales channels in more than 40 European countries. Its products extend from traditional color television to white goods, such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and photovoltaic products, Li noted.

TCL’s revenue in Europe rose 50 percent in the first half of the year from a year earlier, mainly driven by product upgrades and sales channel expansion, Li pointed out. He expects the company’s revenue from the European markets to exceed CNY10 billion (USD140.5 million) this year.

There is still a big gap between Chinese and South Korean home appliance brands in Germany in terms of store location and product quantity, and customers still prefer to opt for renowned European brands, such as Robert Bosch and Philips, Gao said.

Therefore, there is still huge room for growth for Chinese companies in the European market, but they need to better promote the localization of their products, Gao noted.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione