Yugu Factory Water Purifier Production Line in Full Operation
As the heatwave continues this summer, the demand for ice water purifiers has sharply increased. Although mid-August has passed, the heatwave persists, so the number of consumers seeking ice water purifiers is expected to grow further.
On the 23rd, Coway announced that sales of ice water purifiers last month increased by more than 20% compared to the same period last year. In particular, this year, with the heatwave forecasted, sales of ice water purifiers began to surge starting in May. Sales during the summer peak season from May to July increased by more than 50% compared to the previous year. A Coway representative said, "As record-breaking heatwaves continue every summer, the number of consumers looking for ice water purifiers is steadily increasing," adding, "This year as well, the water purifier production line at the Yugu factory located in Gongju, Chungnam, has been operating at full capacity since May to meet the summer peak season demand."
In the past, ice water purifiers were mainly sought after by existing customers who were enthusiasts using a lot of ice. However, recently, as the heat intensifies every year, consumers are looking for convenient products that save time and effort, so-called 'convenience premium' appliances are gaining popularity and attracting broad interest.
Coway is leading the ice water purifier market with a diverse lineup tailored to consumer needs. They offer various types of products, from ultra-compact home ice water purifiers to large-capacity stand-type ice water purifiers, and sparkling ice water purifiers equipped with carbonated water. The most popular product is the 'Icon Ice Water Purifier.' This product significantly reduced its size, considering that many customers hesitate to purchase due to the product's size despite wanting to use an ice water purifier. It is about 40% smaller than Coway’s existing ice water purifiers.
Although the Icon Ice Water Purifier is smaller in size, its ice-making performance and convenience features have been enhanced. To ensure sufficient ice even during summer, it applies the patented 'Dual Rapid Ice-Making Technology,' greatly improving the ice-making speed. The ice-making time per cycle is only about 12 minutes. It can produce up to approximately 600 ice cubes per day, allowing the whole family to use it comfortably. Additionally, the ice size can be set to two sizes: large ice cubes of about 10g and small ice cubes of 7g, so it can be used according to the needs of cooking or beverages.
For customers looking for large-capacity ice water purifiers, the stand-type ice water purifier ‘Prime Ice Max’ is popular. This product is mainly sought after by customers who use a lot of ice or in shared facilities used by many people. It applies a dual cooling system that separately produces ice and cold water, enabling large-capacity ice production. It can produce up to about 10.3 kg, approximately 980 ice cubes per day, and is equipped with a large-capacity ice storage of 3.8 kg. Considering the heavy usage of this product, hygiene management features have also been enhanced. It applies a quadruple UV sterilization and electrolyzed water sterilization system to autonomously manage all areas where ice and water pass through. The ice tray, ice storage, ice faucet, and water outlet faucet are all equipped with quadruple UV LED lamps to manage ice more hygienically.
A Coway representative said, "With the heat intensifying every year recently, the demand for ice water purifiers is rapidly increasing, and the market is also growing quickly," adding, "Coway plans to lead the summer water purifier market trend and continuously strengthen its leadership based on a diverse lineup of ice water purifiers reflecting consumer needs."
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