http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news.php Lastest news from appliancemagazine.com. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:23:36 -0600 The APPLIANCE NEWS FEED is a copyrighted publication of Dana Chase Publications, Inc. editor@appliance.com webmaster@appliance.com http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news.php?article=1555614 The Consumer Confidence Index, after a December increase, was down slightly in January 2012, according to the Conference Board. In January the index was at 61.1 (1985=100), down from 64.8 in December. The Present Situation Index declined from 46.5 in December to 38.4. The Expectations Index edged down from 77.0 in December to 76.2 in January. Consumer views of current business conditions and employment conditions were less favorable in January 2012 than in December 2011, as was consumers' short-term outlook. Consumers' longer-term labor market outlook was more favorable, however, in January than in December. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news.php?article=1555514 Dow Chemical Company, supplier to the appliance and other industries, reported record full-year sales for the year 2011: $60 billion, up 12% from 2010. Excluding the impact of divestitures, sales were up 18% versus the prior year, with double-digit gains in all geographic area and all operating segments except Electronic and Functional Materials, which was up 9%. In the fourth quarter of 2011 Dow's Electronic and Functional Materials business had sales of $1.1 billion, flat compared to 4Q 2010. Dow said a 3% decline in volume was offset by a 3% increase in price. Sales in Dow's Coatings and Infrastructure Solutions business were $1.6 billion in 4Q 2011, up 1% from 4Q 2010. Volume decreased 5% and prices rose 6% Sales in Dow's Performance Materials business in 4Q 2011 were $3.6 billion, up 4% from 4Q 2010. The sales increase was driven by price increases on flat volumes. Sales in Dow's Performance Plastics in 4Q 2011 were $3.7 billion, down 6% from 4Q 2010. Excluding the impact of divestitures, sales were up 5%, with a 3% gain in volume and a 2% increase in price. Strong performance in Dow Elastomers was driven by stable demand in consumer goods, as well as adhesives demand in Europe and recovery from the earthquake in Japan. Polyethylene reported another strong quarter of volume growth in Asia Pacific and continued to benefit from new capacity in Thailand. Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew N. Liveris said the company expects challenges in Western Europe to persist in the near term. "We do not anticipate material improvements in market conditions for the first quarter of the year, but do project economic recovery will gain momentum as we move through the second quarter and the remainder of the year." “Dow’s downstream, market-driven businesses are poised to capture value from improving North American feedstock dynamics," Liveris continued. "We maintain our view that ethylene industry operating rates will tighten over the next several years – driving margin expansion." Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news.php?article=1555414 When coffee seller Green Mountain Coffee Roasters reported strong results for the first quarter of its 2012 fiscal year, with net sales up 102% over the same quarter in the previous year, and much of that was due to its partnership with single-serve coffeemaker manufacturer Keurig. Green Mountain sells the K-Cup packs used in the Keurig beverage brewers. Lawrence J. Blanford, Green Mountain president and CEO, said the company had strong holiday coffee sales. "The value of single-serve, at-home brewing seems to be resonating with consumers," Blanford said. "According to NPD Group, in calendar 2011, sales of single-serve coffee makers accounted for 50% of the total dollars consumers spent overall in the coffee maker category. The Keurig Single Cup Brewing system…drove an estimated 35% unit share of all coffee makers during the October through December 2011 period according to NPD." Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news.php?article=1555314 Restaurant operators are increasing their current capital expenditures on equipment, expansion, or remodeling, and their longer-term plans include even more capital spending, according to the National Restaurant Association. The overall Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose sharply in December, according to the association. The RPI, a composite index tracking the U.S. restaurant industry, was 102.2 in December, up 1.6% from November to reach its highest level in nearly six years. It's the third time in four months with an RPI above 100, signifying expansion in the index of key industry indicators. The RPI consists of two components, the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index. Current Situation Index capital spending activity by restaurant operators continues trending upward, with 48% of operators saying in December that they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion, or remodeling in the last three months. This was the highest level of Current Situation capital spending activity in the last six months. The Expectations Index in December shows that capital spending will likely increase, with 56% of restaurant operators planning to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion, or remodeling in the next six months, up from 47% in the November report – putting this index component at its highest level in four years. The Current Situation Index is based on four industry indicators: • same-store sales • traffic • labor • capital expenditures The Expectations Index measures operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators: • same-store sales • employees • capital expenditures • business conditions Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.appliancemagazine.com/news.php?article=1555214 iRobot Corp., maker of robotic appliances and military robots, will invest $6 million and will expand its partnership with InTouch Health, a remote presence telemedicine solution provider. The agreement expands on a joint development and licensing agreement iRobot announced in July 2011, which was established to explore opportunities for healthcare applications on iRobot platforms. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600