Chinese home appliances majors Haier (HKG:6690, SHA:600690) and Hisense (HKG:0921, SHE:000921) are expanding their manufacturing footprint in Thailand as part of efforts to skirt around U.S. trade barriers, Nikkei Asia reported Friday.

According to the report, Haier opened its largest air conditioner factory in Southeast Asia last month in Thailand's Chonburi province, home to a major seaport.

The factory was built with an investment of 10 billion baht and is designed to produce 3 million units per year, most of which will be shipped overseas, the report said.

Hisense similarly held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new refrigerator and washing machine plant in Chonburi with an expected investment of 4.7 billion baht.

The first phase of the facility is expected to be complete in mid-2026 with an annual production capacity of 2.6 million appliances.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)