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Dyson: Technology-Led Investment Delivers Record Global Growth as Turnover Hits 1.7bn

2016-03-21 13:23 5779

SINGAPORE, March 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

2015 Highlights:

  • Turnover up 26% to GBP1.7bn -- led by global demand for Dyson technology.
  • Profits up 19% to GBP448m.
  • Investment in new technologies rises to GBP206m.
  • Dyson employed 2084 engineers globally.
  • China more than tripled and international growth was underpinned by established markets.
  • First flagship Demo space opened in Omotesando, Tokyo. Further 'Demos' are planned for summer 2016 including Oxford Street, London.

Dyson's technology-led growth was propelled globally in 2015 by continuing adoption of advanced battery enabled vacuum cleaner technology and a deepening of Dyson's portfolio of Environmental Control products -- led by purifiers and humidifiers in Asia.

Max Conze, CEO of Dyson outside the prospective Dyson campus in Malmesbury, UK
Max Conze, CEO of Dyson outside the prospective Dyson campus in Malmesbury, UK

Dyson expects to spend GBP5m per week on research and development in 2016 and an additional GBP100m over the next three years on external technology investments. It has 40 products in development and 50 active research programmes with 20 universities.

In 2016 the first phase of Dyson's Research, Design & Development campus will open in Malmesbury – part of a GBP250m UK expansion and a wider GBP1.5bn investment in technology which will see a doubling in the size of the current research footprint in the UK.

James Dyson said, "By ramping up our investment in technology and expanding research and development we are developing machines that perform better and disrupt the status quo. We put faith in young bright minds – our average age is twenty six".

Max Conze said, "2015 was a year of exceptional growth across Asia and Europe, which proves that people across the world want better technology. 2016 is gearing up to be a transformational one as we launch more exciting and more intelligent proprietary technology".

Technology Highlights

In 2015 Dyson launched 17 new products in 5 categories and sold 10 million machines globally.

Intelligent technology – The Dyson 360 Eye™ robot went on sale in Japan in 2015 and, following a successful BETA trial, rolls out to other markets from summer 2016.

  • Since 2005, Dyson engineers have worked jointly with Imperial College London and world leading research scientist, Professor Andrew Davison, investing GBP25m to help robots see and understand the world around them.

Core Technology – Sales of battery enabled vacuum cleaners grew 66% globally in 2015 and Dyson now holds a quarter of the global market. Growth was underpinned by continuing investment in core digital motor and battery technology:

  • Dyson's automated production lines in Singapore are amongst the most advanced in the world and can now produce 11m motors a year. Dyson has invested GBP300m in digital motor technology over the past 17 years and will shortly reveal the next generation of this precision technology.
  • Dyson will invest GBP1bn in battery technology over the next 5 years. Its in-house battery team has been optimising and developing battery technology for cordless machines and robots in its advanced battery labs at its Malmesbury headquarters for seven years. In 2015 Dyson acquired Michigan-based solid state battery technology company Satki3 with a view to commercialising and incorporating the technology into new and existing technologies.

Environmental control – Grew 35% underpinned by strong growth in Asia. The Dyson humidifier, AM10, is the leader in the China humidifier category and increasing adoption of purifier technology is expected to be one of the most significant drivers of growth globally in 2016.

Professional – Dyson Professional benefited from the integration of Jake Dyson lighting – further product launches in 2016 will expand the portfolio of technology.

Geographic highlights

Asia Pacific grew 70% in 2015, and is now Dyson's leading region:

  • Mainland China became Dyson's fastest growing major market in 2015, growing revenues 222%. The company has been trading there for just 3 years but already leads in floorcare and humidifiers.
  • Japan grew 48%, and remains Dyson's second largest market.
  • Korea grew 185% it is now in Dyson's top 10 markets.
  • Taiwan grew 33% and Dyson leads the floorcare market.
  • Australia grew 35% and Dyson is the #1 small domestic appliance brand and fastest growing consumer durable brand and is amongst the top 5 most trusted brands in Australia (Readers Digest most trusted brands survey)

Europe grew 38% and cord-free sales doubled making Dyson the leader in Europe:

  • Germany grew 46% in volume and Dyson took market leadership in Floorcare in Germany, breaking German home-grown dominance.
  • Dyson consolidated its leadership position in Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

The Americas: The US remained Dyson's most profitable market in 2016, Canada grew 25%.

Great Britain and Ireland: grew 23%, driven by the cord-free business which doubled.

Philanthropic highlights

James Dyson and the James Dyson Foundation have donated a total of GBP55m to charitable causes.

  • In 2015 the James Dyson Foundation pledged a GBP12m donation to Imperial College London to open the Dyson School of Design Engineering. The school will teach a new four year Masters in design engineering, developing a new cohort of creative and theoretical engineers.
  • In May 2016 the University of Cambridge will open a new technology hub following a GBP8m donation from the James Dyson Foundation. The Dyson Building will house 1,200 postgraduate engineers conducting world leading research. The pledge also funds a design and prototyping workshop for undergraduate engineering students.
  • The James Dyson Award 2015 was won by a team of engineers from the University of Waterloo in Canada. Their invention, Voltera V-One, is a desk mounted PCB printer that can turn design files into prototype circuit boards in minutes.
  • GBP135,000 worth of Dyson machines were donated to medical charities in 2015. GBP40,000 was donated to Alzheimer's Research UK, raised through employee fundraising and match-funding schemes.
  • In 2015 the James Dyson Foundation tripled the number of education resources it sent out to schools globally compared with 2014, engaging over 100,000 young people in practical engineering activities.

Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160318/8521601807
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Source: Dyson Singapore Pte Ltd
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