le wood ▁Hold ings . ▁In ▁the ▁end , ▁however , ▁May tag ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁Michigan ▁based ▁Wh irl pool ▁Corporation ▁which ▁offered ▁$ 1 . 7 ▁billion ▁in ▁c ash ▁and ▁stock , ▁or ▁$ 2 1 ▁per ▁share , ▁plus ▁assumed ▁deb t . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Ha ier ▁sur pass ed ▁Wh irl pool ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁fourth ▁largest ▁re fr iger ator ▁producer ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁sales ▁with ▁a ▁global ▁market ▁share ▁of ▁ 6 . 3 %. ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Ha ier ▁Group ▁acquired ▁the ▁app liance ▁business ▁from ▁New ▁Zealand - based ▁Fish er ▁& ▁Pay kel . ▁ ▁In ▁June , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Ha ier ▁Group ▁acquired ▁General ▁Electric ' s ▁app liance ▁division ▁for ▁$ 5 . 4 ▁billion . ▁G E ▁App li ances ▁is ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Louis ville , ▁K Y . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁Ha ier ▁acquired ▁Italy ▁based ▁C andy ▁group . ▁ ▁Technology ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Ha ier ▁began ▁investig ating ▁how ▁the ▁internet ▁of ▁things ▁could ▁be ▁integrated ▁into ▁their ▁devices . ▁ ▁The ▁company , ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁Stan ford ▁Art ific ial ▁Int elligence ▁Labor atory , ▁found ▁three ▁bar riers ▁to ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁smart ▁home ▁technology : ▁lack ▁of ▁un ified ▁protocol s / single ▁point ▁of ▁access , ▁pass