Appliance Design - March 2009 - (Page 40)

ASSOCIATION REPORT: AHAM President Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers Joseph M. McGuire U Organize for Opportunity ernment to create opportunities for consumers, the environment, and the economy. Once again, we will leverage our strategic location to provide members with up-to-date reports on the economy, construction, and new federal policy ideas. Members will have the chance to educate their elected representatives about their company and industry issues. President Obama made it clear that he will not be daunted by simultaneously taking on several major issues as opposed to using an incremental approach. Well, it just so happens that the economy, energy, and climate change happen to have real impacts on our members’ plans to be poised for an economic turnaround. No individual company can collate all the salient points of each of these issues and influence their outcome. However, AHAM’s record for developing and advocating consensus positions is solid. AHAM has been successful in changing the formula for federal energy-efficiency policies to include the carrot and not rely exclusively on the stick. The facts have shown that minimum efficiency standards for appliances, when combined with manufacturer and consumer incentives, do more to move the needle on energy savings, than reliance on regulations alone. We will attempt to build this success story into the next generation of energy and environmental policy. Today’s consumers and influencers are educated on the impact of public policy on everyday life. This provides our industry with an opportunity to satisfy its desire for its products to stand up to sustainability measures. The value AHAM brings to policy makers and to its members is the collective voice of an essential industry. Beyond that, AHAM’s role in standards, whether our own performance standards or the multitude of safety standards we help to develop, provides the infrastructure for many policies and regulations. AHAM has been at the forefront in several critical economic, consumer protection, and energy-efficiency debates. The leadership we provided in building the architecture of national appliance-efficiency standards will be tested as we advise our leaders and assure our customers on economic stimulus, climate change, smart grid, product safety reform, and other important issues. There has never been a better time to be involved. < www.applianceDESIGN.com ncertainty is the word that probably best describes the mindset of people about the economic problems being experienced globally. The unanswered question everyone is asking is, “when will things return to normal?” We are all asking ourselves what we can do to help turn things around. It is certainly a question that government is asking. The uncertainty has led to a certain paralysis evidenced in consumer and business behavior. Consumers are hesitant to spend or borrow. Banks are leery of lending. New home starts are at a low level that is hard to fathom. Manufacturers of home appliances, to a certain extent, can benefit from the “nesting” mentality that is gripping consumers. Many home appliances offer cost savings along with high quality performance versus other options. Whether it is the use of a water-filtration system in a refrigerator-freezer versus purchasing bottled water, or using a home coffee brewing station instead of purchasing a latte at the coffee shop, consumers can get the quality they seek while saving money and the environment. AHAM members are doing everything in their power to compete in this economy and be prepared to have an edge when the macroeconomic drivers point toward growth. The strategies employed by the companies vary and to a great extent are proprietary and not the purview of the industry association. But in down economic times, particularly the unique circumstances of the present, the value of collective action is greater than ever. Our industry is not just playing “defense” by trying to prevent well-intentioned, but unnecessary, regulations. We are playing “offense” to help our elected officials stimulate consumer demand and protect the environment at the same time. A perfect example is the national rebate program for Energy Star appliances. President Obama promised change and it is already clear that many changes will occur in the way the government attempts to solve problems. AHAM has decided to approach the coming changes as an opportunity. That is why the theme for our annual member meeting, which is scheduled for April 19-21 in Washington, D.C., is Organized for Opportunity. Our goal is to help our members by helping gov- 40 applianceDESIGN March 2009 http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - March 2009 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Transmitting Power Wirelessly Promises to Reduce the Ever-Growing Tangle of Cords and Cables Found in the Modern Home. There Are Different Technological Approaches for Achieving this Goal, and Some Are Already on the Market. Electrochemical Capacitors Can Provide an Extra Peak-Power Boost in Battery-Operated Appliances, Allowing Product Designs to Have Smaller Battery Packs. Metallic Foams Put the Properties of Metals into Lightweight Packages. Applications for this Emerging Technology Include Gas Burners, Heat Exchangers, and Electronics Housings. Hall-Effect Switches Are Compact and Provide a High Degree of Reliability and Durability as They Virtually Eliminate Mechanical Wear, Shock, and Contact Oxidation. Blowing Agents for Polyurethane Foam Insulation Face Increased Scrutiny Due to Global Warming Concerns, but Alternatives with Lower GWP Values May Provide Solutions to Meet These Challenges. Design Marts Association Report: AHAM Advertisers' Index

Appliance Design - March 2009

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