Electrolux expands productive capacity by 19%

The Swedish home appliances maker Electrolux increased the cooker productive capacity of the Satu Mare-based plant by 19% in the first eight months of the year. The company invested 2.9 million euros in the first half of the year both in expanding the capacity and in the protection against the fire.

Electrolux posts sales worth 11 billion euros every year, as it is the largest home appliances maker in the world.

Thus, the move is in line with the development strategy for the Eastern European operations the Swedish group announced last year. According to the strategy, Electrolux will open a new refrigerating equipment plant in Hungary, a washing machine plant in Russia and will double the productive capacity of the Satu Mare-based company Samus SA, while relocating its production from several European countries here.

Over 400,000 cookers were produced in Satu Mare last year, while this year’s capacity will amount to 700,000 units. Most of the output – over 75% – is due to be exported, especially to France, Italy, Spain and the Eastern countries, such as Poland and Hungary.

Electrolux logged 1,600 billion ROL ($50m) in H1 turnover this year, which was almost double as compared with the year-ago period, company officials say.

Electrolux investments in the Romanian plant exceeded 4 million euros last year. Under the circumstances, the Swedish invested more than 11 million euros since they first entered the domestic market.

The Swedish company entered the Romanian market at the end of 1995, when it set up the sales unit in Bucharest. ionut.bonoiu@zf.ro