In June 2016,, General Electric sold its century-old appliances business to Chinese manufacturer Quingdao Haier Co. Ltd. for $5.4 billion. GE Appliance’s headquarters will remain in Louisville, KY, and the agreement calls for the business to continue to market the current portfolio of GE brands for at least 40 years.

For decades, appliance designers have used plastic materials to solve engineering challenges in design capabilities, labor and material costs. 

For the last 100 years, dryers, ovens, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances have performed the same basic functions, such as keeping food hot or cold and getting clothes wet and dry. But, a new breed of “smart” appliances is emerging, thanks to advanced sensor technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Few things in a home are as annoying as a noisy appliance.