SAN FRANCISCO— This month, as part of its continuing global expansion plan, Ecovacs Robotics will move into its new 3,000-square-foot North American headquarters, located here.
The location of the new headquarters itself was chosen with the company’s expansion plans in mind and in large part due to its growing focus on smart home technology development.
“Smart home and IoT are tightly integrated into our product development strategy. A key reason for our relocation to San Francisco was to be near companies focused on developing next-generation IoT applications and platforms, and building strategic partnerships with companies in the smart home space,” Diana Haas, gm/North America, told HOMEWORLD BUSINESS®. “As we continue to grow and evolve we want to make sure we are surrounded by brilliant minds and innovative companies who are growing and evolving as well. It’s inspiring.”
As part of its growth plan and aim to evolve, the company has recently focused its efforts on developing smart home technologies for its floor care appliances that go beyond cleaning.
For example, it recently launched UniBot, a multifunctional home management robotic vacuum. Features include a suite of sensors that can manage home security and air quality. The robotic vacuum is capable of cleaning different surfaces in any desired area of the home. The unit syncs to the company’s Ecovacs app, through which consumers are able to control every function of the robotic vacuum remotely.
“We don’t think of ourselves as a vacuum. We don’t even think of ourselves as a robotic vacuum. We’re a home system, and when you look at Unibot, we are part of that smart home, connected device platform,” Haas said.
In addition, David Qian, president of the international business unit of Ecovacs, noted, “The intelligence and versatility of Unibot is, as much as anything else, a sign of things to come.”
One thing to come is the integration of Amazon’s voice controlled, artificial intelligence, Alexa, into the company’s connected product line. While the company was not able to confirm when that integration would be available in the U.S., it would allow consumers to control its entire connected floor care line through Amazon’s Echo device.
Haas noted, “As you look at the home, people are making investments in autonomous devices, and it’s not just ‘hey I want to connect to my fridge’ but they really do want to create this connected home environment where they have a one stop shop, the ability to control everything and to know what’s going on within their home.”
Haas also noted that the company is looking to make smart home technology more approachable for consumers, with cost still somewhat of a deterrent for consumers looking to enter the smart home space.
“We have a line of products that allow people, who may not be willing to spend that much money, to come in at entry level and get a great product and build upon that as they have more needs within their home,” she said. “It’s the focus on the technology and design, but also, within the space, making the tech approachable to people who may not have even considered having a home robot before.”
In addition to product development, Haas said the company is making investments both online and in-store to ensure it is top of mind with consumers. “As a new brand, it’s important for our customers to be able gather the information they need about our products however and whenever they like,” she noted.
In terms of its continuing evolution, some rebranding efforts have been underway. For example, the company recently unveiled its new corporate logo. Qian said the new logo, “represents a milestone in our company’s development. Our products are now available in more than 41 countries around the world. As a company, we must stand united in our expansion efforts and promote a stronger and clearer image to the world. Our revised logo acts as the foundation of this unified effort.”
While Haas noted that the company is unable to give specifics as to further rebranding efforts, she confirmed that it does, “have a number of exciting changes coming in 2017.”
