Health sterilization is sought after, air-conditioning innovation boosts market recovery

Health sterilization is sought after, air-conditioning innovation boosts market recovery

Since the beginning of this year, affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the development of the air-conditioning industry has been relatively difficult. With the normalization of epidemic prevention and control and the advent of the traditional peak season for the air-conditioning industry, sales have ushered in a small peak since May. The "self-help" competition among air-conditioning brands has intensified, continuing to inject new vitality into the sluggish market.

　　 sterilizing air conditioners are sought after

　　 The surge in demand for health sterilization during the epidemic has become the focus of corporate technological innovation. For the air-conditioning field, health is not a new concept. As early as 2015, mainstream brands such as Haier and Midea introduced innovative concepts such as self-cleaning, fresh air, and windlessness, and carried out a lot of technology around the health and comfort of air-conditioning. Innovation and health have also become one of the main directions for upgrading the quality of air conditioners.

Entering 2020, due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the health protection awareness of ordinary people has been upgraded again. The demand for healthy air conditioners has shifted from quality enjoyment to protection rigid needs. The focus has also changed from the general health and comfort of the past to more clear sterilization and resistance Viruses and sterilization air conditioners continue to increase attention. With the control of the epidemic and the return of social order to normal, consumers' suppressed consumer demand for large appliances is quickly released, and sterilized air conditioners have become the first choice for purchasing air conditioners.

　　 Suning data shows that during the epidemic, the sales of antibacterial health air conditioners achieved up to 15 times. According to the search data of JD home appliance air conditioners, the number of searches for sterilized air conditioners in March increased by 26.8 times compared with February. Against the background of the overall decline in the air conditioner market, sterile air conditioners have achieved growth against the trend and become a rare bright spot in the air conditioner market in 2020. According to data from Zhongyikang, the retail share of sterile air conditioners in the first to 11 weeks of 2020 in the overall offline air conditioner market has reached 10.1%, an increase of 2.3% compared to the same period last year.

　　 Haier Air Conditioning said that this year’s epidemic has completely changed consumers’ perceptions of health, spawned healthy consumption awareness and demand, has a long-term impact on the air-conditioning industry, and has become the mainstream orientation. Sterilization and anti-virus have become important criteria for consumers to judge the innovation of air-conditioning products, and the sterile air-conditioning market has also become a well-deserved “outlet".

　　 As the entire home appliance industry enters the user era, market dominance has shifted from manufacturers to users, and healthy sterilization air conditioners are no exception, and thanks to the upgrade of public health protection awareness, consumer demand will be more clear. Industry experts believe that for air-conditioning companies, healthy sterilization air-conditioning is indeed a rare opportunity for development, and to seize this opportunity, it is necessary to provide consumers with reliable and safe products. This is also the entire air-conditioning industry. Responsibility.

　　Promote the development of enterprise quality

　　 For air-conditioning companies, the sluggish market demand, the impact of the epidemic, and the upgrade challenges brought about by the implementation of multiple new national standards such as intelligence and energy efficiency have made them difficult. In order to reverse the decline and actively seize new outlets, mainstream air-conditioning companies have been making efforts to innovate technologies and products since the beginning of this year around sterilization and anti-virus. From the perspective of technological innovation, currently, sterile air conditioners on the market are mainly divided into two categories, namely "antivirus" and "fresh air".

The antivirus category mainly includes two types: 56℃ sterilization and ultraviolet sterilization. The "New Coronavirus Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Plan (Trial Version 5)" issued by the National Health Commission pointed out that the new coronavirus is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and heat. It can effectively inactivate the virus at 56°C for 30 minutes, thus driving the "56°C The popularity of the concept of "sterilization" has also become an important innovation direction for air-conditioning sterilization technology. For example, Haier’s 56°C sterilization air conditioner uses reverse-balance high-temperature drying and sterilization technology to make the evaporator temperature above 56°C and sterilize for more than 30 minutes to achieve high-temperature drying and inactivation of bacteria; the pasteurization released by Midea Air Conditioner The technology breaks through the heating temperature limit of the air conditioner, and controls the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner at 56 degrees Celsius and above for continuous operation for more than 30 minutes, which can help inactivate the new coronavirus. The sterilizing air conditioner using ultraviolet sterilization technology is represented by the new UVC sterilization air conditioner launched by Gree. Its UVC ultraviolet sterilization technology can effectively kill bacteria, viruses, molds, single cells and other microorganisms that spread in the air.

　　 During the epidemic, in addition to anti-virus, many experts also called on consumers to be more ventilated. Therefore, as an important category of sterilizing air conditioners, fresh air conditioners continue to rise in popularity in the market. During the epidemic, Hisense launched a series of fresh air aeration air conditioners that "started for three minutes and the house is full of fresh air", mainly through HEPA filter technology and Hi-Nano negative ion technology to achieve purification and sterilization of the entire space.

　　 Under the leadership of mainstream air-conditioning companies, the sterilization war in the air-conditioning market has intensified. And the facts have also proved that in the weak air-conditioning market, functions such as fresh air and virus removal are becoming sharp weapons for air-conditioning companies. Hisense said that under the epidemic situation, the sales of Hisense Fresh Air Aeration Air Conditioners have increased rapidly recently, and the sales of some models have increased several times. Suning also said that healthy air conditioners represented by anti-virus and fresh air are taking advantage of the trend. According to Suning data, the attention and sales of healthy air conditioners are at a high level.

　　 Strengthen standard construction

In the past, price wars continued to spread in the air-conditioning market. Now, based on new market demands, the competition in the air-conditioning market is gradually returning to the product itself. Companies have found differentiated innovations to increase the added value of products, and consumers have a strong pursuit of quality , To achieve a high degree of harmony between supply and demand.

　　 Taking "healthy sterilization" as an opportunity, the air-conditioning market has had a more rational road to break the situation, but there are also certain development risks. Due to the lack of uniform national standards, the performance of sterile air conditioners on the market cannot be scientifically identified. With the rapid expansion of the market scale, products vary from good to bad. Once the effect of use fails to meet expectations, the reputation of sterilizing air conditioners will decline rapidly, which will dampen consumer enthusiasm.

　　 It is urgent to formulate uniform standards. Cai Ning, deputy chief engineer of the China Home Appliances Inspection Institute, said that the health performance of healthy air conditioners is mainly reflected in the antibacterial, sterilization, air purification, fresh air, and release of harmful substances. At present, some air-conditioning products with sterilization, anti-bacterial or purification functions on the market can be considered as air-conditioners with certain health functions, but health is a big concept, and the relevant standards of healthy air-conditioners need to be further improved. "National standard GB/T21551.6 "Special requirements for antibacterial, sterilization and purification air conditioners for household and similar electrical appliances" has been revised and is in the stage of approval. National mandatory standard "General requirements for household and similar electrical appliances, health and safety" It is also being formulated. Some group standards related to the health function of air conditioners are also being formulated."

　　 While industry organizations attach great importance to it, mainstream air-conditioning companies are also actively working on standardization. Hisense stated that Hisense Air-Conditioning has already started the standardized layout of fresh air air-conditioning in 2019. Convened by the China National Institute of Standardization, and led by Hisense Air-Conditioning, with mainstream air-conditioning manufacturers and fresh air-related laboratories, construction engineering institutes and other units, jointly participated in the drafting of China's first fresh air air-conditioning group standard. Currently, the group standard is applying for an upgrade to become an industry standard.