The new GE Profile™ 17.9 cubic ft. stainless top-freezer refrigerator manufactured in Appliance Park Building 5 and launched January 1, 2006, has been met with great success. During the first quarter of this year, stainless steel sales were higher than any other quarter since 2004.
This model boasts a stainless steel exterior that conveys a look of sophistication and polish with illuminated upfront temperature controls, spillproof glass shelves, adjustable gallon door bins, and adjustable humidity controls that provide the perfect environment for fruits and vegetables.
In addition, it offers a spillproof freezer floor and FrostGuard™ Technology that protects frozen items from freezer burn by monitoring freezer door openings and defrosting only when needed. "The Building 5 team has been great to work with on new product introduction's (NPIs)," says Rita Barksdale, Refrigeration Product Manager. "I am particularly excited to have our first Profile™ 18 cu. ft. refrigerator in the fleet, and especially proud that it is made here in Louisville."
"The Profile line is something that we have never produced here before, it is a more elite line, found in upscale homes," says Paul Horn, Building 5 Purchase Materials Quality Specialist. "So just to have a product in that category is good for Appliance Park and more importantly the people who work here."
The majority of those sales are coming from the contract channel. The Building 5 team was able to spot a gap in the marketplace that it could fill and figured out the cost of making this product a reality. The excitement about this unit is that for the first time it allows you to have a Profile kitchen in a small area," says Dan Goldstein, Merchandising Specialist. "This unit is targeted for residences in the northeast United States and California, which have expensive but small living spaces, such as condos or high-end apartments."
What customers want
In order to compete in the very price driven refrigeration industry, the new Profile model had to fit the three aspects that customers look for:
- Appearance,
- convenience and
- food preservation.
"We are always looking for more high-end products that can be produced here at Appliance Park," says Doug Wichmann, General Manager for Appliance Park Manufacturing. "Volume from high-end products, like the new stainless steel refrigerator, helps drive growth opportunities and our profitability. The great work that has been done in Building 5 is a step in the right direction."
