Winning Appliances

Winning Appliances is a family owned and run kitchen and laundry specialist, based in Sydney, Australia.[1] The company has been trading since 1906 and has eight showrooms across NSW and Queensland. Its main stock consists of dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, microwaves, washers, dryers, sinks, coffee machines, BBQs, and wine cellars.

The business, through its retail stores and commercial division, also works with architects, developers and the construction industry to provide appliances for commercial projects across Australia.[2]

History

Winning Appliances was founded in 1906 by Richard William Winning. He believed the carriage, hardware and saddlery trade was a substantial enough industry for him to establish his own business, incorporating R.W. Winning Pty Ltd. The company was initially registered as R.W. Winning & Co., Manufacturers Representative, after securing agency agreements with agencies in England.

In 1911, R.W. Winning began representing the Barnsley company, a manufacturer of knives and tools for the leather and grinding trade.[3]

Alongside horse and carriage products, R. W. Winning & Co. represented the Pyrex company, which made Corningware, and the Royal Stafford China company. R. W. Winning & Co. sourced international products during World War I and through the 1920s, and was able to weather the depression. In the 1930s the company obtained the agency for A Simpson & Son Ltd, an Adelaide manufacturer of a vast range of metal ware and cooking equipment. When Simpson's moved into manufacturing whitegoods, the Winning family followed suit and entered the same market.

The demand for gas stoves, electric ranges and petrol-powered and electric wringer washing machines increased after World War II, which resulted in R.W. Winning & Co. expanding staff numbers.[3] Over the years, few agencies have been lost, and although the company still acts as a selling agent for certain products, it has become a recognised retailer in its own right.[3]

The company was the first to introduce front loader washing machines into the Australian market, and units were delivered to retail outlets as well as installed into new properties on behalf of developers.[3] Winning Appliances became an Australian pioneer in offering households whitegoods which were attractively displayed in kitchen settings.[3] The first showroom was in Clarence Street, before it was eventually moved to its current flagship site in Philip Street, Redfern.

The Winning family retains 100 per cent ownership of the business and trade as Winning Appliances Pty. Ltd.[4] The company significantly increased its ranges of products and services in the 1990s, and now has seven stores in NSW, in Brookvale, Crows Nest, Narellan, Newcastle, Northmead, Redfern and Taren Point, and two in Queensland, in Fortitude Valley and Indooroopilly.

Stores display kitchen and laundry appliance brands such as Miele, Gaggenau, and Asko, as well as exclusive collections such as Sub-Zero and Wolf.[5][6]

Winning Appliances is now expanding into Queensland. The first Brisbane showroom was opened in August 2011, and was the first store nationally to include bathroom fixtures and fittings.[7] The store took over the iconic blue building in the centrally located Fortitude Valley and was recognised as Australia’s largest premium whitegoods and bathroom retailer. The second store opened in November 2012 in Indooroopilly.

In 2005, John Winning, son of former CEO John Winning Senior, launched Appliances Online as an online venture of Winning Appliances, servicing the white goods market. The company later purchased and re-launched Big Brown Box from Thorn Group, selling audio visual products such as televisions.[8] In November 2011, John Murphy stepped down as General Manager of Winning Appliances, becoming a non-executive director after 32 years of service to the group. John Winning was then appointed CEO of Winning Appliances, while also continuing to lead Appliances Online and Big Brown Box.[9]

In 2012, Winning Appliances launched a national cooking competition and online food community called Best Home Chef. Featuring chef mentors from brands such as AEG, Scholtès, Siemens, Smeg and Wolf, the top 25 recipes will be chosen from the website and the winner will be selected by a judging panel at a live cook-off final in May 2013 at Winning Appliances' new Redfern showroom.

Awards

Sponsorships

Winning Appliances has a long association with the sailing industry. The company sponsored the 2011 18 ft Winning Appliances JJ Giltinan Invitation Race.[12]

The company also donates its boat, the MV JBW, to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for use as the Radio Relay Vessel during the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "About Us". Winning Appliances. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  2. ↑ "Winnings Appliances - Commercial Division - Case Study | Testimonials | Cordell Construction Projects". Cordellprojects.com.au. 2011-04-18. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Arbouw, J, and Murray, J, 1996, Family Business, Volume Two, Focus Publishing, Edgecliff, Sydney.
  4. ↑ "Winning Appliances homepage". Winningappliances.com. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
  5. ↑ Kitchen Appliances Suppliers BEST KITCHENWARE BRAND IN INDIA
  6. ↑ "Sub-Zero refrigeration by Winning Appliances Pty Ltd - Selector Australia". Selector.com. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  7. ↑ "News". Gobuild.com.au. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  8. ↑ "Appliances Online & Dick Smith awarded as leaders in online retail - Current: Electrical, Electronics and Appliance Industry News and Issues". Current. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  9. ↑ "John Winning the new CEO of Winning Appliances, John Murphy steps down as GM - Current: Electrical, Electronics and Appliance Industry News and Issues". Current. 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  10. ↑ "Win-Win for Winning Appliances at catalogue awards - Current: Electrical, Electronics and Appliance Industry News and Issues". Current. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  11. ↑ http://www.sydneybusinessawards.com.au/2012-Winners
  12. ↑ "18ft Winning Appliances JJ Giltinan Invitation Race - Australian Sailing News". YACHTe.com.au. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  13. ↑ "Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2012.. Links". Rolexsydneyhobart.com. 2002-09-23. Retrieved 2012-09-18.

External links

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