Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Dyson has this week released details of their end of year 2009 performance and generally paints a positive picture. Highlights include:-

• Despite the recession, global sales for the company increased 23% to 770m GBP
• Operating profits more than doubled from 90m to 190m GBP
• The Dyson Air Multiplier is a top seller in Australia; within 6 weeks, representing 64% of the market for desk fans, by value.
• In the UK and US markets, the updated 'ball' range represents more than half of the Dyson cleaners sold.
• In the UK, the company has a total market share for vacuum cleaners, by value, of 40%.
• Dyson is the market leader for vacuum cleaner sales (by value) in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, France, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and New Zealand.

Looking ahead, the company talks about new product launches scheduled towards the end of 2010 - a fair number of which (my speculation) are likely to continue the trend of offering a completive advantage by using digital motor technology. Ironically, a technology originally developed for use in their full-size vacuums, while all current models continue to use traditional motors.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/dyson-profits-double-thanks-to-rd-investment-1983841.html

http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/content/10603/Dyson_cleans_up

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/channel/Entrepreneurship/news/1006022/sales-vacuum-dyson-gadgets-cost-worth-paying/

http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/article/25296/Dyson-doubles-operating-profits.aspx - note: this has the statement 'The company has also confirmed plans to launch a robotic version of its bagless vacuum cleaner' - dunno if that's significant, but I haven't seen it reported elsewhere.

vacmanuk wrote:

If dyson doesn't surprise with a new vacuum product before the end of this year, it will be the first year since its launch in the USA [2002] that it has not added at least one new vacuum to its lineup.  Making one think that the current lineup with some exceptions, like the DC14 and DC16 and perhaps a spinoff or 2 or 3 like the all white DC25 ball, are the mainstay of its future product lineup.  Yet dyson reports more new hires, better profit [we're told] than the years before, a new non-vacuum CEO in charge of day-to day operations, all good things.  But no new vacuum products? 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
We will have to wait and see. It's likely that if they *are* looking to launch kichenware products in time for the Christmas market, that a lot of their resources; marketing, certification, logistics that will be allocated towards this. It would perhaps be less important to them than minor improvements / new models in their vacuum range.

By the way, I was speaking to somebody at the weekend who works in healthcare. Apparently, the Dyson AirBlade hand drier is still not widely used in hospitals as it hasn't been pased for infection control - I presume this is currently the domain of fabric and paper towels?

M00seUK wrote:

Hi M00seUK,

It may be too pricey to be practical.  And if were talking use by hospital staff  . . .

Infections picked up during hospital stays are high here in the U.S. and disinfectant or anti-bacterials and plain old paper towels are more employed than electric hand dryers.  As well, there's the noise factor.  It's one thing to have hand dryers in public toilet facilities but another to employ them in an intensive care unit or the like.

I also took a moment to ponder if "sanitation stations" for doctors and nurses on the floor (an area for washing and disinfecting hands with a sound dampening surround to allow use of a hand dryer) would prove practical.  Came up with a blank as to room for automation as there is usually not much possibility to supply enough convenient placements for it to make the effort worthwhile.  Doctors and nurses often must travel from one hospital room to the next.  Keeping each room stocked with soap or hand disinfectant and paper toweling is much simpler and helpful to the purpose.

Venson

Venson wrote:
Cheers Venson - some good thoughts there. I'd imagine paper towels are the norm. A good business case can often be made for using the Dyson hand drier in place of paper towels - they're hugely expensive to buy, store and distribute around a building. However, the capital investment needs to be considered. Installing 4 machines in a busy motorway service station restroom might represent a good case for reducing costs + queing time. Installing at least 500 machines around a hospital would be need a major investement, although leasing and quantity discounts might help. You could install them in only the busiest sites, but I presume hygine practices are only as good as the weakest link in the chain.

Maybe the likes of Dyson need to jump through a few more hoops on this one.

CarmineD wrote:

WOW!!!! Is that cheesy or what? How does just offering cleaning TOOLS qualify as Asthma Relief! Thats stretching reality to the limit. I doubt Shark would even stoop that low...well maybe not. Pathetic. What next, Vacuum companies will add a Hand Turbo and a Charcoal Filter and then call it a Pet Vacuum.....ooops

M00seUK wrote:

Putting the cart before the horse?  I have heard that the air dryers require frequent cleanups/sterilization by humans.  Labor costs and human factor are a con for offsetting the money saved on paper towel costs/storage.  I don't presume to know for sure exactly the hygiene concerns preventing AirBlade from passing tests for infection control.  I suspect it's the dyson hand/arm drying well.  Why?  The well accumulates human skin particles in the dried water/soap residue which builds up in the dry well.  Being a haven for storing and hibernating these germs which may or may not be killed with cleaning.  Since this well is an integral feature of dyson's AirBlade, it appears acquiring the health certification, based on the unit's current design, is almost next to impossible.

Carmine D.

Lucky1 wrote:

I presume the design and function of the 3 tools allow users to vacuum surfaces which standard vacuum issued tools do not allow.  Requiring users to revert to hand dusting.  In giving users tools for the job, less dirt/dust in the home environment and on its contents.  Stretch?  Most definitely.  Tho the tools are neatly designed to serve cleaning functions.  But like all tools, use/user are often the key to their effectiveness.

Carmine D.

M00seUK wrote:

Knowing that dyson products are ALWAYS priced at a premium to existing competitors with the same products, I have to opine that dyson will enter the Japanese market first with any new kitchenware products.  Most big cities in Japan pay more for many common everyday services and products.  Japan is an excellent venue for dyson's new entries into a new market like kitchenwares.  Japanese appear to take a cottoning to Sir James too.  So all the more a reason.

Carmine D.

PS:  I suspect Japanese Christians celebrate Christmas but I don't know if it is a national celebration as in other countries and markets.

CarmineD wrote:

Putting the cart before the horse?  I have heard that the air dryers require frequent cleanups/sterilization by humans.  Labor costs and human factor are a con for offsetting the money saved on paper towel costs/storage.  I don't presume to know for sure exactly the hygiene concerns preventing AirBlade from passing tests for infection control.  I suspect it's the dyson hand/arm drying well.  Why?  The well accumulates human skin particles in the dried water/soap residue which builds up in the dry well.  Being a haven for storing and hibernating these germs which may or may not be killed with cleaning.  Since this well is an integral feature of dyson's AirBlade, it appears acquiring the health certification, based on the unit's current design, is almost next to impossible.

Carmine D.

----

Everything you've said there sounds plausible. The 'well' is one postive over traditional driers, which shoot water on to the floor - but I can see how it would need regular checking and maintaince and is likely the major issue with infection control.

I can imagine paper towels being a huge expense; 1) purchase 2) transportation 3) storage, 4) replenishment 5) disposal.... but seemingly the most hygienic method, for the moment.

CarmineD wrote:
Off the top of my head, Dyson has patents / designs for use in the following kitchenware appliances:-

• Hot water dispenser / kettle with removable reservoir
  The reservior sounds similar to the arrangement on the Tassimo drink machines, poss. with 'express' one drink heating, as seen in other kettles.
  
  
• Coffee machine
  Intergrated bean grinder / expresso dispensssor. Longer lasting mechanism. Option for milk foamer.
  
  
• Bread toaster
  Enclosed toaster, where you insert slices of bread like a cassette tape. Being enclosed is said to help with speed / quality of toasting.
  
  
• Kitchen TV / radio
  More resilient to spills than a traditional device
  
  
• Food processer
  
  
• blender
  
  
• Juicer
  Juices fruit and vegetables

Kitchen work top appliances can be *really* cheap these days. I can buy a small, practical plastic kettle for as little as 5 GBP, spend 30 GBP on a mid-range or 100 GBP on stylish model. The truely unique, added value features between these models is very limited. They're effectively a commodity, with many brands competing for your attention on the store shelf.

Going by these Dyson patents, there's two main advantages they hope to bring with their introduction 1) Use of their digital motor tech to reduce the size and offer improved functions using compressed airflow. 2) Ensure that each appliance is a common size - a cuboid, which means that two or more units can be linked together, taking up less work / cupboard space and reducing power cable clutter. Controls are flush and wiping them clean is easy.

What I think might turn out to be effective is the following senario: Price the appliances between 150 - 200 GBP, apart from the kettle, which is priced at say £75. This would make it a perfect candidate for a Christmas / Birthday gift. The recipant of the gift would be much more tempted to stay brand loyal to Dyson when considering further purchases, so they can 'clip' the cubes together and save on workspace. In my experience, people are frequently brand loyal with TV, PVR, DVD and audio equipment, but this doesn't follow through in to the kitchen work area. It sounds like Dyson are hoping to change this in the near future.