Hitachi, Hitachi Global Life Solutions (Hitachi GLS) and Nojima have agreed to establish a strategic partnership for the Hitachi-branded home appliance business. Under the plan, Hitachi GLS will set up a new company for the business and transfer 80.1% of its shares to a special purpose company managed by Nojima, while retaining 19.9%.
Hitachi GLS said it also signed a share purchase agreement with Arçelik A.S. covering the 60% stake in Arçelik Hitachi Home Appliances B.V. (AHHA) held by Arçelik. The rights and obligations under that agreement will be succeeded by the new company through a company split. Through these transactions, management resources for the home appliance business in Japan and overseas will be integrated under the new company.
The new company will continue to provide Hitachi-branded home appliances from manufacturing through after-sales service. According to the companies, Nojima will contribute customer feedback gathered through its sales and service operations, while Hitachi will provide its manufacturing technologies. The companies said this model is intended to strengthen the customer-driven business developed in Japan and expand it globally.
Following the establishment of the new company, Hitachi GLS will continue to position air conditioning as a core business within Hitachi’s Urban Solutions & Services Business Unit. In collaboration with Hitachi Building Systems and Hitachi Power Solutions, Hitachi said it will strengthen integrated services for building and facility management, energy management and cooling through HMAX for Buildings.
“We are very pleased that this strategic partnership with Nojima will enable us to establish a new company that can further pursue the sustainable growth of the home appliance business on a global basis,” said Hideki Osumi, President and Representative Director of Hitachi GLS.
