Haier Group, the nation's top appliance maker, has founded a subsidiary in Germany as it aims to expand its niche in western markets, the company said Friday.

Haier, which has two listed units, Haier Refrigerator in Shanghai and Haier Electronics in Hong Kong, said it was particularly targeting the market for household appliances in Germany. The company also makes televisions, DVD players, mobile phones and air-conditioning equipment.

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)