000651

Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai

A Chinese maker of home appliances, Gree is best known as one of the world's largest producers of residential air conditioners, and it also sells fans, refrigerators, rice cookers, purifiers, and even its own smartphone. The company took shape in 1991 from a merger of two small Zhuhai firms and was renamed Gree in 1994. Its name began as "Glee," a nod to the Mandarin phrase for "Joy in Zhuhai," later shortened to "Gree" so it could be protected as a trademark abroad.