The company attributes the growth largely to the successful launch of the five-year parts and labour guarantee last March, and new distributors and retailers coming on board.

The Gorenje Group's total business performance in the first nine months of 2006 was also good, in particular in the light of what it said were extremely tough conditions in supply and sales markets; revenues in the first nine months of the year stood at Û770.8m, up 4.2% on last year. Future projections envisage steady growth in revenue (10% annually) and in profit (3.4% annually) so that by 2010 the group would generate revenues in excess of Û1.5bn, making Gorenje one of the five biggest household appliance producers in Europe.

Now rolling out its extensive new built-in and freestanding range, Gorenje UK attributes its success to the acquisition of new accounts across the UK and Ireland, bringing the total number of retail outlets stocking the brand at over 1,000.
Gorenje UK believes it is bucking the national trend of disappointing retail sales and most markets in which the company operates are still in recession, with tough competition from the East. According to analysts, the demanding market conditions are set to continue if not worsen in the second half of the year, while commodity prices are expected to rise even further. Another major factor affecting business performance in 2006 is the implementation of the directive on the recycling of electronic and electrical waste.