13 Apr 2013

Warehouse, Haier produce own-brand washing machine

10:09 am on 13 April 2013

The Warehouse has collaborated with Chinese whiteware maker Haier to produce its own brand washing machine.

The listed retailer says it has had to take some of its private brands off its shelves due to quality issues which resulted in high return rates.

The Warehouse stopped stocking washing machines about nine months ago which cost it between $12 million and $15 million. It plans to will introduce its new entry-level Aspira washing machine shortly.

Chief executive Mark Powell says the company has been upfront about the fact that it hasn't dealt quickly enough with some private label quality issues.

He says in the last two years, since he has been CEO, the company has withdrawn a product from sale as soon as there has been a problem.

"It's a very limited number of product, the typical store is 60,000 products, you're talking in my two years about 100 products. But it's important we deal with them because they do a lot of brand damage if you don't deal with them."

Mr Powell says the Cascade brand has been replaced with the Necessities and Kensington brands.