Fisher & Paykel 1934 Company founded in Auckland by Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel to import Crosley refrigerators, Maytag washing machines and Pilot mantle radios. 1938 Sales agreement signed with Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit. 1939 Manufacture of refrigerators and wringer washing machines. 1953 Installation of first washing machine conveyer line. 1955 First stage of Mt Wellington plant starts production of refrigeration and laundry products. 1956 Manufacture of rotary clothes dryers designed and patented by company. Formed association with HE Shacklock, Dunedin. 1957 Allied Industries Ltd established to manufacture Murphy radios and radiograms and later (1960) television receivers. This was the forerunner of Fisher & Paykel Electronics. 1958 Fisher & Paykel open a London office. 1965 Agreement signed with Matsushita Electric for sole distributorship in New Zealand. 1966 Head Office moved to Mt Wellington. Champion Spark Plug New Zealand established. Allied Industries began manufacturing Waikato electric fence controllers. 1969 Allied Industries began manufacturing television tubes. 1970 First respiratory humidifier sold. 1971 Agreement with Matsushita Electric for marketing and eventual manufacture of National Panasonic products. Manufacture of respiratory humidifier(the beginnings of Healthcare). 1972 East Tamaki refrigerator manufacturing plant opens. 1974 One millionth refrigerator and one millionth laundry unit produced. Allied Industries build new factory in Mangere. 1975 Sir Woolf Fisher dies. Maurice Paykel appointed chairman and managing director. 1976 Fisher & Paykel Customer Services Ltd established. Don Rowlands appointed general manager and subsequently managing director. Assembly of National Panasonic televisions. 1977 Medical Division formed. 1979 Listed on New Zealand Stock Exchange. 1980 Exports one millionth appliance. 1981 HE Shacklock Ltd becomes wholly owned. Microcomputer Electronic Company established. Shareholding in Henderson & Pollard. 1982 Fisher & Paykel Medical established in United States. Twentieth anniversary of association with Matsushita Electric. Applied Technology (Healthcare) transferred to National Allied at Carbine Road. 1984 Fiftieth anniversary. Prince Philip Design Award refrigerators launched. MR500 Medical Humidifier finalist for Prince Philip Design Award. Takes 50% interest in Isothermal Systems Inc. 1985 Launch of Gentle Annie, world's first use of a brushless DC motor in a washing machine. 1986 Official opening of range and dishwasher division's new building at Taieri, Dunedin. 1987 Launch of Fisher & Paykel Appliance brand in Australia. Equiticorp acquires major shareholding (23% at $5 per share). Acquired Australian medical distribution company Medcor, now Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Pty Ltd. Created Fisher & Paykel Electronics Ltd, formerly Allied Products Division. 1988 Launch of Fisher & Paykel New Zealand maxi yacht entrant in the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Race. 1989 Construction commenced on first off-shore major appliance facility in Cleveland, Queensland, Australia. Equiticorp's 30% shareholding placed with friendly investors. Medical Division renamed Healthcare Division. 1990 Production of first Australian manufactured refrigerator. Electronic Division ceased assembly of colour televisions. Sale of investment in New Zealand Steel to BHP Steel consortium. 1991 Opening of new plants at East Tamaki and Cleveland. Launch of the SmartDrive autowasher. International sales exceeded 30% of trading revenue. Gentle Annie voted Product of the Year and Fisher & Paykel voted Supplier of the Year for the second year running by the Australian Appliance Industry in Mingay's magazine. 1992-1993 International sales increase by 54% to exceed $200m for first time. Whiteware sales in Australia exceed 150,000 units. Launch of Fisher & Paykel brand in the European market at Domo-technica Appliance Trade Fair, Cologne, Germany. 1994-1995 Fisher & Paykel exports to over eighty countries. Healthcare international sales remain at over 90% of Healthcare turnover. Whiteware sales in New Zealand increase to 260,000 units. 1997-1998 DishDrawer, the unique double drawer dishwasher launched. 1998-1999 Major restructuring announced to focus on core businesses of Whiteware, Healthcare and Finance. 1999-2000 Record group profit of $54.4m, exceeds $50m for the first time. International revenue of $551.4m exceeds 70% of total trading revenue. Healthcare revenue grows by 20.8% to exceed $140m for the first time. 2001-2002 Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd and Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Ltd become 2 separately listed companies in November 2001.
Company profile
Fisher & Paykel was formed in 1934, after two young friends, Woolf Fisher and Maurice Paykel, managed to sell surplus refrigerators that had been imported by Paykel's family company, Paykel Brothers. With other family members investing capital, the pair opened their first office and showroom on the mezzanine floor of Queen's Arcade, Auckland. Appliance retailing was in its infancy and the small firm supplemented its income by negotiating agencies for other products, such as record players, vacuum cleaners, irons, and toasters.
In 1938, import and foreign exchange restrictions forced the firm to consider manufacturing. Orders were sourced on the basis of a mock-up and production of Kelvinator washing machines (under license) was commenced. The declaration of war, the following year, had some unexpected benefits for the infant manufacturer. With washing machines and refrigerators declared an essential industry, the company was protected against closure through lack of raw materials or loss of staff. As a consequence, they were able to expand their business and move to larger, two-storey premises in Carlaw Park Lane. By 1949 the company was producing 600 washing machines, 500 refrigerators, and 700 vacuum cleaners per month and struggling to keep pace with orders from retailers.
In 1956, the firm opened a new 48,000 square foot, purpose-built factory in Mt Wellington in 1956 (see Exhibit 5). Within four years, aided by new product launches and a network over 200 dealers throughout New Zealand exclusively marketing Fisher & Paykel product, the factory had expanded to a staff of 600.
In the late 1960s, the firm began to turn its attention towards exporting. Selling to countries, such as Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan annual export income rose from $500,000 to $2.4m between 1967 and 1971. At the same time, planning began for a new factory at East Tamaki (13,684 sq m), with twice the production capacity of Mt Wellington.
In 1979, Fisher & Paykel became a public company with an authorized capital of 40m $1 shares. The group, now led by managing director Don Rowlands and chairman Maurice Paykel (after the death of Sir Woolf Fisher in 1975), consisted of nine companies (100 percent owned) and nine subsidiaries including: whiteware and appliance manufacturing, a cartage company, a tool-making company, finance firm, television manufacture, as well as cabinetmaking, spark plug manufacture, and service companies.
New product launches characterized the development of the firm. Channeling significant amounts of profit into capital expenditure and research and development, in 1985 the ECS electronic washing machine was launched after five years of intensive development. Electronic control systems, developed by Fisher & Paykel, controlled the machine which no longer had the traditional gearbox of alternative models. In addition, the Prince Philip Award Series refrigerators were introduced, manufactured on a new highly automated plant line. This was supplemented by new ranges of wall ovens, dish washers, and freezers.
A fundamental change to the company's organisational structure occurred over 1998 and 1999 when preparation began for a split between Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Appliances. The medical division had proved increasingly profitable and by the first half of 1997-98, contributed 50% of the company profit and exported over 95% of its production. The split precipitated a re-organisation of Fisher & Paykel Appliances. Ending a 30-year-old relationship with Japanese appliance giant, Matsushita, Fisher & Paykel quit its distributorship of National, Technics, and Panasonic products, refocusing the company into three business units, and dispensing with the previous divisionalised structure.
In 2001, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd and Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Ltd became two separately listed companies. The more concentrated direction appeared profitable for the firm. Spearheading export activities with further new product innovations such as EcoSmart washing machines and DishDrawers, by 2004, the year in which Fisher & Paykel Appliances celebrated 70 years of business, revenue from appliance exports had increased to 71 percent of total revenue, with the firm exporting to 80 countries worldwide.

Key Products & Services

Fisher & Paykel was formed as an importing company dealing in Crosley refrigerators, Kelvinator refrigerators, Maytag washing machines, and radios. Gradually, this was extended to included vacuum cleaners and other brands. In 1939 the company commenced its own manufacturing and produced Kelvinator fridges, as well as its own branded products, such as Savaday and Bendix, which were distributed to New Zealand retailers and department stores. As the firm diversified in the 1960s, the products expanded to include spark plugs, televisions, vacuum cleaners, air conditioning systems, and medical products. This was supported by a finance company, and wholly owned distribution company.
By the mid-1980s, the company had sprawled to a range of wholly-owned and part-owned subsidiaries producing products as varied as spark plugs and televisions. The group also owned the Dunedin appliance manufacturer, H.E. Shacklock Ltd as well as Fisher and Paykel Finance, to support its appliance sales, and a new company, formed in 1982, Fisher & Paykel Medical Inc., to distribute the firms growing range of medical products in the USA.
Electronics were integral to the development of the firm. In a long-term relationship with Matsushita, Fisher & Paykel distributed of National, Technics, and Panasonic products including stereos, telephones, televisions, and marine communication products. It paralleled the firms own investment in electronic technology which saw the introduction of electronic control systems for production lines, as well as the development of electronically-controlled appliances, such as the ECS electronic washing machine.
In 1991, the firm cemented its involvement in the Australian market with the construction of a purpose-built factory in Brisbane to supplement its plants at East Tamaki and Dunedin, allowing faster and easier access to the Australian markets. While it remains a New Zealand firm, the company is increasingly involved offshore. By 2005, considerable marketing efforts were underway in the United States as well as Europe. Alongside the mainstream products such as SmartDrive and DishDrawer, further product variations have been developed suited to the needs of overseas consumers, such as the Titan range of ovens for the American market.
Company
Fisher & Paykel has been designing products since 1934 and has grown into a global company operating in 50 countries and manufacturing in the USA, Mexico, Italy, Thailand and New Zealand.
We are committed to ongoing research and development.
Organization culture is one of open innovation, which allows people to work collaboratively to find insights and ideas that connect with our customers and respect our planet.
In 2012, Haier Group bought Fisher & Paykel. Continue its development as a global premium brand.
Subsidiary company (Production Machinery Limited builds production equipment, Dynamic Cooking Systems Inc is a company in the United states of America specializing in outdoor and indoor cooking products.

Brand Vision
To be the most human-centred appliance brand in the world
At the heart of the Fisher & Paykel story are people looking for the innovation that changes the everyday into something out of the ordinary. It appeals to our basic human desire to live life and improve it. (Goal is to improve life through good design)

Values
We make appliances for people, so our value system is one of listening, of collaboration, or curiosity. It is about respecting our customer and respecting our planet.

Core Competencies
The ongoing collaboration between design engineers and customers has changed the course of appliance design for us as a company and for those who use our products.
Leading through design – design team has been internationally awarded for their striking and innovative designs. (Innovation comes from curiosity. By understanding our customers, the way people use kitchens insights that have made us rethink how to design appliances.)
The Smart Drive motors and Active Smart refrigeration technology differentiates Fisher & Paykel as a company of creativity.
Due to developing new functional technologies, Fisher & Paykel has won international awards for the design of their 60cm Built-in Oven, Gas on Glass Cook top, Kitchen Companion Products range, Cool Drawer and Cook Surface.

Sustainability
Aim is to meet the highest industry standards with our appliances achieving top ranking results with Energy Star and WELS water ratings. Appliance energy and water usage has decreased across all appliances.
Refrigerator (reduced energy consumption on average by over 60 percent)
Dishwashers and clothes washers (55percent and 80percent less water on average)
New refrigerator compressor design (35percent more energy efficient than conventional compressors) entering the market in few years.

Manufacturing (consider the environment in every step of a product’s life cycle)
Avoid construction techniques that combine incompatible materials in a way that cannot be easily separated for recycling
Factories operates On-line manufacturing (less waste and less inventory)
Goal is to continually reduce emissions and apply the principle of reduce, re-use and re-cycle all of process waste in all markets.

In India
Launched into India, and planning to enlist New Zealand cricketers and Bollywood celebrities to promote its brand.
Targeting the growing Indian middle class (more than 260 million people during the next five years)
Rather than selling product through retailers, they secured a local distributor and are focusing on the built in market. (With architects and property developers to fit out newly constructed apartment complexes with F&P kitchen appliances) -similar strategy that was used in China

The distributor has established on F&P showroom in the Indian capital, Delhi

Fitted out one Delhi apartment block with its appliances before the launch investigating the Indian market and found that consumer prefers new-generation appliances and the kind of genuine innovation that is found in F&P appliances.

(Healthy marketing from F&P)