According to the daily economic news, on September 25, a news of #Europeans bought a Chinese electric blanket# rushed to the hot search, causing heated discussions among netizens.
In order to survive the cold and save costs, Europeans have begun to prepare thermal equipment such as heat pumps and electric blankets. Among the many thermal equipment, electric blankets have become the most popular item exported from China to the EU. For Chinese manufacturers, selling electric blankets to Europe has become a new business this year. However, this business is not easy.
Image source: Visual China
Firewood has become a scarce commodity in many European countries
According to CCTV News on the 21st, according to a recent report by the Washington Post, due to the deep energy dilemma in many European countries, the demand for firewood as a traditional heating fuel has greatly increased, and it has become a scarce commodity in many parts of Europe. The report said that some European buyers started stockpiling firewood for winter heating as early as summer, causing firewood prices to soar in many parts of Europe. Firewood prices have almost doubled in some parts of Hungary. In Stuttgart, Germany, there has also been an increase in illegal logging and theft. In Berlin, many households have also started cleaning out their fireplaces and chimneys in preparation for burning wood for heating and cooking this winter amid fears of a cut in heating and further rising energy costs.
Image source: Screenshot of CCTV news video
Experts say that although some European countries have sufficient wood reserves in their forests, the trees must be cut down for a long time to dry before they become firewood, so it is not currently possible to supply large quantities of firewood immediately.
According to German media reports, almost all hardwood species in Europe are now used as firewood, such as oak, chestnut, maple, birch, etc., but it is still not enough. At present, German firewood suppliers have started to buy from Poland. Due to the recent sharp rise in energy prices, the Hungarian government declared a state of energy emergency in July and adopted measures such as banning the export of firewood to ensure domestic energy security. According to RIA Novosti, Bulgaria has also stopped exporting timber to non-EU countries in mid-August.
Experts said that the European people were forced to "travel" back to the era of burning firewood for heating.
Image source: Screenshot of CCTV news video
It is worth mentioning that in Europe, the prices of gas and electricity are constantly rising. According to Eurostat data, as of July 2022, the annual growth rate of energy price inflation in the EU reached 38.3%, of which the annual growth rate of natural gas and electricity price inflation reached 52.2% and 31.1% respectively. Energy prices have continued to rise since August. According to data from the European Power Exchange, the average price of the European power system was 462.1 euros/MWh on August 30, an increase of 6 times compared with the beginning of the year; on August 26, the Dutch TTF benchmark natural gas futures closed at 339.195 euros/MWh , an increase of 5 times compared with the beginning of the year.
Electric blanket export business is not simple, industry insiders: need to do localization improvement
Among the heating equipment exported by Chinese companies to Europe, electric blankets have become a popular item. According to data from the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, since 2022, the export value of most home appliance products to Europe has shown a downward trend, while the growing categories mainly include air conditioners, electric water heaters, electric heaters, electric blankets, and hair dryers. The cumulative export value scale from January to July They were US$1.99 billion, US$130 million, US$490 million, US$33.4 million, and US$160 million, of which electric blankets led other categories with a growth rate of 97%. In terms of specific countries, compared with the hot sales of electric heaters and air source heat pumps in some countries, the import demand of electric blankets in various countries has increased simultaneously, among which Greece, Italy, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands have all doubled.
Data from the General Administration of Customs of China also shows that in January this year, the 27 EU countries imported 189,000 Chinese electric blankets per month, 73,000 and 61,000 in February and March, and 154,000 in April and June. , 222,000, 521,000, and in July it increased rapidly to 1.29 million, an increase of nearly 150% month-on-month.
Data source: General Administration of Customs
Compared with the hot market, electric blanket manufacturers are more calm. According to a report from the Red Star Capital Bureau, on September 22, employees of the electric blanket company Rainbow Group told reporters that the number of electric blankets exported was not large. In the evening of the same day, Rainbow Group issued an announcement stating that export orders for electric blankets did not have a substantial impact on the company's revenue.
The announcement shows that on September 21 and 22, the total deviation of the closing price increase of Caihong Group exceeded 20% in two consecutive trading days. In this regard, Caihong Group explained that the company’s operating conditions and internal and external operating environment have not undergone major changes recently, and the company’s production Business is normal. The company's products are mainly household flexible heating appliances such as electric blankets and electric hand warmers, as well as household hygiene and insecticidal products such as electric mosquitoes, incense liquids, and electric mosquito coils. The products are mainly in the domestic market. Rainbow Group emphasized that it has obtained some export orders for electric blankets this year.
Previously, on the investment interactive platform, Rainbow Group once said that at the current time of the European energy crisis, electric blankets will have certain opportunities as energy-saving and environmentally friendly products. In order to promote the export business, the company has established an overseas market development department and service team, and has obtained export orders for electric blankets since May this year.
Regarding the export of electric blankets, a practitioner who is engaged in cross-border e-commerce of home appliances told reporters that this is not a simple business. First of all, different countries have different usage habits of household appliances. Many domestic common styles need to be localized and improved. For example, Germany is used to wearing electric blankets instead of using them under bed sheets as is common in China. At the same time, different power supply power in different countries also needs to be adapted.
The most important thing is to meet the electrical standards of the European Union or related countries. The practitioner explained to the reporter that at present, the domestic small household appliance manufacturers are relatively scattered, even if they are listed companies, if they want to sell products that meet China's national standards, if they want to sell them to other countries, especially It is a Nordic country with extremely high environmental protection requirements, and all aspects of data need to be "up to a higher level".
Original title: rushed to the hot search! Exporting nearly 1.3 million pieces a month, Europeans buy Chinese electric blankets? This business is not easy
