Editing Haier (section)

===Founding===
Haier was founded as '''Qingdao Refrigerator Co.''' in 1984. With China opening up to world markets, foreign corporations began searching for partnerships in China. One of these, Germany's refrigerator company [[Liebherr]], entered into a [[Joint venture|joint-venture]] contract with Qingdao Refrigerator Co., offering technology and equipment to its Chinese counterpart. Refrigerators were to be manufactured under the name of '''Qindao-Liebherr''' ({{zh|t=琴島-利勃海爾|s=琴岛—利勃海尔|p=Qíndǎo—lìbó hǎi'ěr}}). The current brand "'''Haier'''" came from the last two syllables of the [[Transliteration of Chinese|Chinese]] [[transliteration]] of Liebherr ({{zh|p=lìbó hǎi'ěr|c=}}).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wipo.int/web/ip-advantage/w/stories/branding-for-a-global-transformation | title=Branding for a Global Transformation | work=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sohu.com/a/129334417_467215  |date=2017-03-19 |title=Hǎi'ěr rúhé chéngwéi qǐyè "chuàngxīn jiàokēshū"? |script-title=zh:海尔如何成为企业"创新教科书"？ |trans-title=How Haier became an “innovation textbook” for enterprises |website=Lishi Business Network |publisher=[[Sohu]] |language=zh}}</ref>

The installation of Liebherr's equipment and technology was accompanied by new quality control and management processes. By 1986, Qingdao Refrigerator had returned to profitability and grew in sales at an average of 83 percent annually. Between 1984 and 2000, sales grew from [[CNY]] ¥3.5 million to ¥40.5 billion.<ref name=fuhistory>{{cite web |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Haier-Group-Corporation-Company-History.html |title=History of Haier Group Corporation – FundingUniverse|access-date = 15 January 2016}}</ref>

In 1988, the municipal government asked Haier to take over some of the city's other ailing appliance manufacturers. The company assumed control of Qingdao Electroplating Company (manufacturing [[microwave]] ovens).<ref name=fuhistory/> In 1991, the company changed its name to "'''Qingdao Haier Group'''" and acquired Qingdao Air Conditioner Plant and Qingdao Freezer.<ref name=fuhistory/> The company's name was simplified to its current name "Haier" in 1992.<ref name=fuhistory/> In 1995, the company took over Qingdao Red Star Electronics Co., a [[washing machine]] manufacturer, along with five of its subsidiaries.<ref name=":0" /> Haier acquired seven companies between 1995 and 1997, and began exporting to foreign markets.<ref name="cc">{{Cite web |title=Chinese Champions - Patente Made in China |url=http://www.chinese-champions.de/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Studie_Chinese_Champions.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207222721/http://www.chinese-champions.de/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Studie_Chinese_Champions.pdf |archive-date=2013-12-07 |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Chinese Champions |pages=19–23 |language=de}}</ref>