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Jebsen sees opportunity in China’s health awareness

121-year-old company turns to air purifiers, wines and e-commerce for growth

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Helmuth Hennig, Jebsen group managing director says the company will focus on products and services that offer healthier alternatives. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Over five days last November, Beijing’s air pollution index soared off the charts, double the level that was considered “hazardous.”

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Less than a decade after presenting blue skies for the world to see during the 2008 Olympics, the Chinese capital now regularly tops the list of global cities with chronic air pollution.

That’s not entirely bad news for Helmuth Hennig, managing director of Hong Kong trading house Jebsen & Company.

Sales of Dyson air purifiers, fans and vacuum cleaners, distributed in China by Jebsen, more than tripled in 2015 as Chinese families splash out on sophisticated appliances to filter out particulate air matter from their homes and offices.

Sales of Dyson air purifiers, distributed in China by Jebsen, more than tripled in a single year. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Sales of Dyson air purifiers, distributed in China by Jebsen, more than tripled in a single year. Photo: SCMP Pictures
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The sales boom marks another piece in the eclectic mix of businesses for Jebsen, which traces its history to 1895 in Hong Kong as a shipping agency. Besides Dyson’s futuristic appliances, Jebsen brought the Porsche marque to China, and distributes Casio cameras and Nomos time pieces.

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