en.Wedoany.com Reported - France's recent heatwave has driven up demand for air conditioners, prompting Chinese manufacturers to ramp up production to meet orders from the French market. The heatwave has led to a shortage of air conditioners in local stores, with these products almost entirely reliant on imports, primarily from production lines in Chinese factories.
At an air conditioner factory in eastern China, thousands of workers are working overtime day and night. One employee stated that he is putting in extra hours every day. Leveraging competitive labor costs, the factory has a daily production capacity of 30,000 air conditioners. Chinese manufacturers are racing against time to be the first to enter the French market.
Some air conditioner models are out of stock in the French market, while the local heatwave continues. The factory manager will not overlook European demand. In the warehouse, products awaiting shipment to Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia remain on the shelves, while shelves designated for Western Europe are empty, as products do not stay in the warehouse for more than a day. The factory's technical director explained that there are three transportation methods: sea freight typically takes two months, rail takes 25 days, and air freight takes seven days. For French customers with urgent needs, air freight is prioritized.
Air freight helps products stay ahead of competitors, avoiding the time constraints of sea containers, but it requires specific conditions, as air conditioners contain refrigerants, necessitating special safety precautions during air transport. The overseas market manager of the air conditioner manufacturer stated that in Europe, installation costs are sometimes higher than the air conditioner itself, becoming a major obstacle for customers. Typically, installation requires two people—one to secure the product and the other to connect the pipes. He Siquan (phonetic), global business manager of the air conditioner brand, pointed out that for certain models, a single installer can complete the installation using wall-mounted hooks, making it faster and saving on installation costs. Some portable models bypass the installation challenge, allowing users to operate them directly and move them between rooms on casters. Manager He noted that some older buildings do not permit the installation of outdoor air conditioner units, making such products popular in the European market.
The brand revealed that its sales in France have doubled compared to last year. Previously, Chinese home appliance giants primarily supplied the Spanish and Italian markets, but they are now betting on the French market, which has significant and growing potential.
