{{Other uses|Royal Star (disambiguation)}}{{Short description|Chinese home appliance brand}} {{Infobox brand | name = Royalstar | logo = 250px | producttype = Home appliances | currentowner = Rongdian Group | producedby = | country = China | introduced = {{start date and age|1993}} | discontinued = | related = | markets = | previousowners = | trademarkregistrations = | ambassadors = | tagline = | website = [http://www.rsdgroup.com.cn/en/ www.rsdgroup.com.cn] }} '''Royalstar''' ({{zh|s=荣事达|t=榮事達|first=s}}), also known as '''Rongshida''',<ref>{{cite web | author=William Kazer | title=Hefei city sacks chiefs of two losing corporations | work=South China Morning Post | date=July 24, 2002 | url=https://www.scmp.com/article/386106/hefei-city-sacks-chiefs-two-losing-corporations | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240801081354/https://www.scmp.com/article/386106/hefei-city-sacks-chiefs-two-losing-corporations | archive-date=August 1, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref> or simply referred to as '''RSD''',<ref>{{cite web | title=Maytag Forms Union With China Firm | newspaper=The Telegraph-Herald | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkRFAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Rongshida%22&pg=PA6&article_id=6770,3399111 | date=September 17, 1996 }}</ref> is a Chinese appliance maker.<ref>{{cite web | title=Global, schmobal | work=Forbes | date=March 10, 1997 | url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1997/0310/5905064a.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240801080217/https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1997/0310/5905064a.html | archive-date=August 1, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref> The brand is headquartered in Hefei and is currently owned by Rongdian Group.<ref>{{cite web | title=五常市委领导一行莅临荣电集团3U生态产业园参观考察 | work=Phoenix | date=April 10, 2024 | url=https://i.ifeng.com/c/8YeL7FK4jsc | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801090023/https://i.ifeng.com/c/8YeL7FK4jsc | archive-date=August 1, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref> In 1996, it formed a joint venture with Maytag,<ref>{{cite web | title=Maytag Announces Resignation of CFO And Other Senior Management Changes | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=November 19, 1999 | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB942959348545245251 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240423063001/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB942959348545245251 | archive-date=April 23, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref> which divested the business in 2002.<ref>{{cite web | title=Maytag severs links with fridge-maker | author=Mark O'Neill | work=South China Morning Post | date=January 31, 2002 | url=https://www.scmp.com/article/370269/maytag-severs-links-fridge-maker | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240801163223/https://www.scmp.com/article/370269/maytag-severs-links-fridge-maker | archive-date=August 1, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref>
In the 1990s, Rongshida was one of the top ten well-known consumer brands in China.<ref>{{cite web | title=Name That Company | newspaper=The Gainesville Sun | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LEQzAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Rongshida%22&pg=PA24&article_id=1394,2199866 | date=August 9, 1999 }}</ref> Since the 21st century, the brand has experienced ups and downs and lost its leading position in the Chinese market of major appliances.<ref name=":0">{{cite web | title=Royalstar Faces Multiple Issues | author1=Ge Rujiang | author2=Ma Shurui | work=China Financial Information Network | date=May 21, 2013 | url=http://news.xinhua08.com/a/20130521/1177332.shtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613173219/http://news.xinhua08.com/a/20130521/1177332.shtml | archive-date=June 13, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2011, the liquidation and cancellation of Rongshida as a corporate entity was finished.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://ah.anhuinews.com/system/2011/12/22/004655873.shtml | title=合钢宣告破产 荣事达清算关闭 | date=22 December 2011|website=Anhui Business News | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327171504/http://ah.anhuinews.com/system/2011/12/22/004655873.shtml | archive-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> The Chinese Household Electrical Appliance Network said that after several changes of ownership, the Rongshida brand ceases to exist except in name.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Rongshida Brand Ceased to Exist Except in Name | publisher=Chinese Household Electrical Appliance Network | url=http://news.ikanchai.com/2018/0813/229102.shtml }}</ref> == History == The history of Rongshida dates back to 1954.<ref>{{cite book | title=The Case Analysis of Enterprise Culture Construction | author=Luo Changhai | publisher=Tsinghua University Press | year=2006 | isbn=978-7-302-13120-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dIrwsONhYSYC&pg=PA393 | page=393 }}</ref> In 1993, the Rongshida brand was officially launched.<ref>{{cite web | title=荣电集团：荣事达品牌新时代的领旗手 | work=Sina Tech | date=July 1, 2024 | url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/tech/roll/2024-07-01/doc-incaqzun3134784.shtml }}</ref> In 1994, Rongshida Group set up a joint venture with Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. under the name of Rongshida Sanyo Electric.
In 2013, the Rongshida brand began to be owned by Rongshida Sanyo Electric. Prior to that, the brand had been held by Midea Group for five years.<ref name="people.com.cn">{{cite web | title=惠而浦续签荣事达商标 家电老品牌谋求焕新生 | date=July 26, 2018 | work=People's Daily | url=http://ip.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0726/c179663-30171424.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801101117/http://ip.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0726/c179663-30171424.html | archive-date=August 1, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2014, Whirlpool completed its acquisition of a 51% stake in Rongshida Sanyo Electric. The purchase price was approximately $552 million.<ref>{{cite web | title=Whirlpool buying 51% Hefei Sanyo stake | publisher=Associated Press | date=August 13, 2013 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/08/13/whirlpool-buying-hefei-sanyo-51-percent-stake/2647123/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818111141/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/08/13/whirlpool-buying-hefei-sanyo-51-percent-stake/2647123/ | archive-date=August 18, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequently, the company was renamed Whirlpool China.
From 2018 to March 31, 2023, the rights to use the trademark of Rongshida were owned by Whirlpool China.<ref>{{cite web | title=品牌许可费约每天1万元，惠而浦继续接盘为荣事达"续命"5年 | website=Jiemian News | date=July 25, 2018 | url=https://www.jiemian.com/article/2334906.html }}</ref>
==Criticism and controversies== The brand licensing of "Rongshida" was alleged to be chaotic.<ref name="www.cb.com.cn">{{cite web | title=Home appliance brand Rongshida repeatedly appeared on quality inspection blacklists | author1=Yang Lingling | author2=Liu Yuanyuan | work=China Business Journal | date=April 29, 2017 | url=http://www.cb.com.cn/index/show/gs/cv/cv12521315165/p/s.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240802080314/http://www.cb.com.cn/index/show/gs/cv/cv12521315165/p/s.html | archive-date=August 2, 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref> Small home appliances such as induction cookers, rice cookers and electric kettles produced by the brand were repeatedly listed on quality inspection blacklists by the Chinese quality inspection authorities.<ref name="www.cb.com.cn"/>
On May 12, 2016, Alibaba Group launched the "Clean Network Initiative", due to quality problems, Rongshida's small home appliances were banned by Alibaba from being sold on its e-commerce platforms.<ref>{{cite web | title=Alibaba Bans the Sale of 48 Small Household Appliances with Quality Problems | author=Liu Yinghua | work=Xinhua News Agency | url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2016-05/13/c_128979623.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514162417/http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2016-05/13/c_128979623.htm | archive-date=May 14, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
== References == <references /> == External links == * [http://www.rsdgroup.com.cn/en/ Royalstar] Category:Home appliance manufacturers of China Category:Companies based in Hefei Category:Electronics companies of China Category:Companies disestablished in 2011 Category:Chinese companies established in 1985 Category:Chinese brands Category:Home appliance brands