A Candid conversation with Mr. Salman Saleem, Senior National Manager, CAC, Haier group
The Haier group was set up in 1984 in Qingdao, China. In just over two decades as per Euromonitor Statistics of 2003, Haier was ranked as the 2nd largest Home Appliances brand in the world. With the concept of “customers as the foundation of growth”, Haier provides a one-stop star service to its customers. Production, manufacturing, to pre-sale, under sales and after sales service. Since 2002, Haier has successfully established a network of over 5,000 domestic professional service suppliers to deliver timely customized service. Haier is the leader in the home appliances sector in Pakistan with an overall market share of 40%. Haier leads in most major home appliance categories including air conditioners and washing machines and refrigerators and deep freezers.
Mr. Salman Saleem while talking to Engineering Post revealed that Haier is also the pioneer of Oil free Magnetic Bearing Centrifugal Chiller technology in Pakistan. This is the latest innovation in the HVAC sector and Haier is the one introducing it to the Paksitani market. “We have already installed 1 unit in Faisalabad which is running successfully for the past 4 months and installation of another unit is in the pipelines” he said.
In the Commercial air conditioning sector Haier occupies more than 30% of the market share consisting mostly of Light commercial cabinet / floor standing air conditioners. In the year 2019 Haier Pakistan installed the most Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) units in the country. “We have already installed 3 4 thousand tonnes this year and have around 2000 tons in the pipeline” told Mr. Salman
Commenting on the current economic condition of the Country he said, “There has been an overall reduction in the air conditioned market by 10 to 12%. One of the reasons for this has been the austerity drive by the government. The last government had decided to install cabinets and floor standing AC in all the THQ and DHQ hospitals but this year round, government has decided to reduce development budget which resulted in decreased government tenders. Another major factor has been the reduction in buying power of the people. With the increasing inflation and massive devaluation of rupee against dollar the buying power of the people has reduced substantially. Consequently the air conditioning market has been squeezed this year”, he explained.
To compensate for this economic crunch, Haier Pakistan devised the strategy to introduce economic and low cost models in the market to facilitate the people. These new models are cost effective as well as reliable. “Moreover In view of the deteriorating economic situation, the board of Haier Pakistan convened and unanimously decided to reduce the profit margins of the company so that people of the country can be facilitated. So now the company is sacrificing its own profit margins so that the people can be facilitated” he revealed.
Haier Pakistan strongly believes in the concept of seeing is believing. One can only believe in the highest standards of quality maintained by Haier after seeing the manufacturing area. So in last year, Haier Pakistan gathered renowned consultants from all over Pakistan and arranged a tour to the manufacturing facility located in Qingdao China so they can see and experience from their own eyes the international standards of manufacturing complied by Haier.
Some major projects of Haier this year have been
- HVAC installation in Faisalabad The Manzil Hotel (Tayyab group)
- HVAC installation in Heritage Hotel, Gulberg Lahore
- 300 ton Project of The City Mall, Bahawalpur
- HVAC installation at UFC gym in Lahore.
