James Dyson:

“People are not so enthusiastic about vacuum cleaners”

James Dyson in conversation with "Krone" editor Katharina Pirker

(Bild: Claudia Hottiger)

A rare moment: James Dyson presented his latest invention in Paris. In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, the media-shy Briton also revealed why he relies on young, inexperienced engineers for his developments and when he will hand over his company.

James Dyson is 76 years old and is still enthusiastically working on his brand's latest products. He enthusiastically presented his new hair straightener in Paris. However, his focus is not on the hairstyles, but on the technology. The developer explains in detail how the warm air gently dries and straightens the hair at the same time. To demonstrate the innovation on a hair model, the Brit flew in Hollywood stylist Matthew Collins.

In Paris, the focus was actually only supposed to be on the straightener, but the inventor is so enthusiastic about his brand-new hairdryer heater that he immediately presents another appliance with this technology. Over the past three years, 586 million euros have been invested in the development of hair drying appliances. But something new is likely to come onto the market soon. The company has renamed its hair division "Beauty". However, James Dyson does not want to reveal which product will be launched next.

In Austria, the colorful vacuum cleaners are still the best sellers. However, hair-drying appliances are catching up, as the company confirms. And the technology of the two divisions is not so dissimilar, as James Dyson explains in the Krone interview: "I told my chief engineer that we could make our small vacuum cleaner motors even smaller and use them in a hairdryer." 

Hairdryer instead of vacuum cleaner
In the meantime, it seems that Dyson is focusing more on beauty products. The engineer has a simple explanation for this development: "People don't talk about vacuuming as enthusiastically as they do about their hairstyle. It's really important to them that their hair stays healthy." 

For the development, Dyson relies on young technicians from his own university, among others. From the age of 17/18, they work on vacuum cleaners or hair dryers three times a week, followed by theory on the other two days. "They are fresh out of school, motivated, naive, have no prejudices and no fear. That's wonderful. They are not afraid to fail and try everything."

"I'm constantly unhappy and dissatisfied"
The engineer lives this mentality himself: "I don't think about the past, what I've done. I'm an engineer and I think about the next problem, how I can solve it to develop an even better device. I always look ahead, not back." Specifically, it also meant that the brand launches hairdryers that are actually not perfect for the 76-year-old. "I'm constantly unhappy and dissatisfied, but that's a good mental state for me," laughs the Brit. So it took 5127 prototypes before the first Dyson vacuum cleaner hit the shelves. 

Company history

• The company was founded in 1991 by James Dyson
• employed more than 12,000 people in over 60 countries in 2018
• In addition to vacuum cleaners, Dysonalso produces hair dryers, humidifiers, hand dryers and fans
• 586 million euros have been invested in the development of hair dryers over the past three years

However, fewer and fewer people can afford the exclusive appliances. "When I started with vacuum cleaners, I only thought that I wanted to bring a better appliance onto the market. It was never about selling lots of products. That was never my ambition, but to sell better technology. That is my passion. I also think that the hairdryer market has changed because of us. Before Dyson, hairdryers were cheap. In the meantime, that has also changed for other brands." 

James Dyson on the next boss
The fact that Dyson is not concerned with sales figures is proven by his company's 650 euro headphones. They were developed by his son Jake. He works on his own products within the company and even has his own line of lamps. The 76-year-old can't imagine his father James slowly withdrawing from the business. "My son wanted to work with us voluntarily. We work well together. I hope he will also take over the company." When? "When he kicks me out," laughs the entrepreneur.

Although Dyson can conduct research 24 hours a day at its sites in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland and the UK, there is one achievement that has eluded him. He would have liked to develop jet propulsion for airplanes. "This invention changed aviation. The man who invented it was not a scientist, he was self-taught. Nobody believed him back then. He had no support. And then everything changed."

And James Dyson has another big goal: he wants to introduce the verb to dyson into the English language. So far, his biggest competitor Hoover has prevailed with to hoover for the word vacuum cleaner. "Yes, I do get grumpy in interviews when someone uses that word," says the Brit.

Dyson financed the trip to Paris.