"This Summer Is Hot Too"... Full Operation of Air Conditioner Production in the Electronics Industry

The LG Electronics air conditioner production line in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jin-ho] As this summer is forecasted to bring record-breaking heat, the electronics industry is busily responding. Air conditioner production lines are operating at maximum capacity, and marketing activities to attract customers are also active. Some expect air conditioner sales to reach an all-time high.

According to the business community on the 1st, major companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are running their domestic air conditioner production lines at full capacity. LG Electronics has been fully operating its air conditioner production line in Changwon, Gyeongnam since this month. Samsung Electronics has also been running its air conditioner production line at maximum capacity since February. The domestic air conditioner market is overwhelmingly dominated by these two companies, accounting for about 70% of the market share.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the average temperature this summer is expected to be higher than the normal range (23.4~24 degrees Celsius). Especially in July and August, hot weather is expected to occur frequently due to the influence of the North Pacific High.

In response, the industry expects that air conditioner demand, which was limited to around 2 million units annually due to the longest rainy season in history in 2020, will revive this year. Sales are expected to reach the annual peak of 2.5 million units recorded during the heatwave in 2017.

Recently, the trend of installing air conditioners in every room is spreading positively. Window-type and portable air conditioners are particularly popular among single-person households. An industry official explained, "Interest in all-in-one air conditioners has increased as more consumers, including single-person households, want to place air conditioners in every room."

LG Electronics has released a new portable air conditioner that can be conveniently used in various spaces without spatial constraints. It features enhanced hygiene management with artificial intelligence (AI) drying and large-capacity dehumidification. The 2022 model offers up to 44 liters of dehumidification per day, which is a 60% improvement compared to previous portable air conditioner models.

Samsung Electronics' 2022 Bespoke Wind-Free Air Conditioner.

Samsung Electronics has launched a new product that combines powerful cooling performance with a body-temperature airflow function. The new Bespoke Wind-Free Air Conditioner Gallery with body-temperature airflow saves up to 90% energy consumption by using cooling air from 220,000 micro-holes in wide wind-free cooling, and the High-Pass Circul rapid cooling quickly lowers the temperature without blind spots.

The body-temperature airflow, similar to 30~40 degrees Celsius, adds warmth to the space, enabling optimized air quality management for each season along with purification functions. It maximizes the usability of the air conditioner by being suitable not only for strong cooling but also for transitional seasons with large temperature differences between day and night.

Meanwhile, the industry expects the air conditioner market to grow by more than 2 trillion won compared to last year due to the forecasted heat this summer. Since the heatwave is predicted early this year, demand is likely to continue throughout the second quarter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.