South Korea’s mid-sized conglomerate Autech Group has entered the clothes dryer market which is rapidly growing in the country to expand its business portfolio and maintain its growth momentum in the future.

The group’s home appliances making unit CLK Corp. announced Monday that it will release two types of drying machines - 10 kilogram heat pump dryer and 3 kilogram heated-air dryer that come in two colors each. The heat pump dryer is installed with an inverter BLDC motor that enhances energy efficiency. Users can also select drying process and times according to the type of clothes.

The heat pump dryer is available at around 1.25 million won ($1,132) and heated-air dryer at 480,000 won.

Founded in 2000, Autech Group is known for its air conditioner brand Carrier that it acquired in 2011. Its home appliances making unit CLK has grown into the third largest company in the country’s air conditioner market following the home appliance giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. With the addition of new product line, the company is hoping to lure more consumers in the country.

The group has five business units - holding entity Autech Corp., home appliance unit CLK, refrigerator making unit CRK Corp., parking system unit Autech-Otis Parking Systems and touch panel solution unit Hantouch Co. It posted record-high earnings last year with operating profit reaching 36.3 billion won and sales 824.1 billion won on a consolidated basis.

By Shin Soo-hyun and Choi Mira

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