Swiss premium appliance maker V-Zug has reported a steep decline in its 2024 financial results, reflecting a sluggish market and softer-than-expected project demand.
The company’s operating profit (EBIT) fell to CHF 11.6 million, less than half of the previous year’s CHF 25.3 million. Net income dropped even more sharply, sliding to CHF 6.8 million, compared with CHF 21.4 million a year earlier.
According to V-Zug, the downturn stems from cautious consumer spending, limited market momentum, and high fixed operating costs that became increasingly difficult to absorb in a weaker sales environment.
Despite the challenging year, the manufacturer says it is focused on returning to profitable growth, with a series of strategic and operational adjustments already underway to strengthen performance and improve resilience.
Category Archives: Domestic appliance news,
Miele Posts Moderate Growth in 2025,
Miele has reported a steady performance for fiscal year 2025, posting €5.16 billion in turnover, a 2.3% increase year‑on‑year, despite what the company described as a challenging and uncertain global environment. The results were presented at Miele’s annual press conference, where the German manufacturer also outlined its strategic direction for 2026.
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📈 Growth Driven by Kitchens and Commercial Markets
According to the company, the strongest momentum came from two areas:
– Premium kitchen appliances, where demand for high‑end built‑ins continues to hold firm
– Miele Professional, the commercial division, which has now surpassed €1 billion in annual revenue
The Professional segment includes medical, laboratory, and commercial laundry technology—areas where Miele has been expanding aggressively as part of its long‑term diversification strategy.
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🔍 Key Product Developments in 2025
Miele highlighted several innovations launched over the past year, including:
– M Sense, a connected cookware system designed to integrate with smart cooking platforms
– A new steam drawer, expanding the brand’s premium cooking range
– Updated solutions for medical, laboratory, and laundry applications
– The debut of Miele Dreams, the company’s first move into outdoor cooking
The company also confirmed the completion of the Miele Performance Program, a multi‑year internal initiative aimed at improving efficiency and competitiveness.
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📊 Company Snapshot: Miele in 2025
– €5.16 billion in global sales
– 19 production sites
– 49 subsidiaries
– 200+ branded stores worldwide
– Around 23,000 employees
These figures underline Miele’s continued scale and global reach, even as the appliance market faces pressure from inflation, supply chain shifts, and changing consumer spending.
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🔮 What’s Coming in 2026
Looking ahead, Miele says it will continue to prioritise premium innovation and “responsible investment” across global markets. Among the products expected in 2026:
– The company’s first outdoor kitchen, expanding its new outdoor living strategy
– Next‑generation washing machines, positioned as new performance benchmarks
– Further development of M Sense, its intelligent cookware platform
– Expanded use of digitalisation and AI, including
– Smart Food ID, which recognises dishes and adjusts cooking settings
– AI Diagnostics, designed to improve service efficiency and reduce downtime
Miele also reaffirmed its commitment to durability, highlighting its 25‑year motor warranty on washing machines, tumble dryers, and washer‑dryers.
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🧭 Outlook: “Modest Optimism” for 2026
While the company remains cautious about global economic conditions, its leadership expressed “modest optimism” for the year ahead. The focus, they said, will remain on delivering reliable, long‑lasting products and innovations that improve everyday life—both for households and professional users.
Miele to sell more refurbished appliances
Miele is taking a major step into the circular economy by expanding its refurbished appliance line, starting with German‑built washing machines. Each unit undergoes a full inspection, deep clean, and quality check before being resold with a warranty—effectively giving premium appliances a second debut on the market.
The move highlights how high‑end manufacturing and sustainability can work hand in hand. By extending the lifespan of durable products, Miele taps into rising consumer demand for greener, longer‑lasting appliances across Germany and Europe.
For other brands, the message is clear: there is real commercial potential in rethinking product lifecycles. Whether through refurbishment programmes, strategic partnerships, or new service models, companies can create value from appliances that would otherwise leave circulation. Miele’s example proves that circular innovation doesn’t have to come at the expense of quality—or profitability.
Dyson settles forced labour suit in landmark UK case
Dyson, the well‑known home appliance manufacturer, has agreed to settle a legal claim brought by 24 migrant workers who say they faced forced and abusive working conditions at a Malaysian factory producing components for the company.
The workers, originally from Nepal and Bangladesh, filed the lawsuit in 2022, alleging treatment they described as equivalent to modern‑day slavery.
Dyson has consistently rejected any suggestion of liability, stating that it had no prior knowledge of the alleged mistreatment and arguing that responsibility lay with the Malaysian supplier operating the facility.
The settlement marks a notable legal milestone, reinforcing that UK courts can hear cases involving alleged labour abuses within overseas factories supplying British brands.
Whirlpool unveils a new cooking collection and a smart washing machine
Whirlpool has kicked off the year with a wave of new launches, unveiling its Suite W Collection of built‑in ovens and induction hobs, along with the highly automated SenseWash washing machine. The lineup leans heavily into the “silent luxury” aesthetic, pairing minimalist design with advanced technology.
Suite W Collection: premium ovens with smart cooking features
At the top of the range sits the W9 built‑in oven, equipped with a three‑level steam injector, an airfry mode, and a high‑temperature setting that reaches 310°C. The collection also introduces a compact 5‑in‑1 oven—45 × 55 × 54 cm—with an impressive 52‑litre capacity, the largest in its class. It supports cooking on three levels and combines convection, microwave, steam, crisp, and crispfry functions, the latter offering air‑fryer‑style results without added oil.
Both ovens feature Whirlpool’s new patented self‑supporting probe, accurate to the degree. Paired with 6th Sense technology and 73 built‑in recipes, it promises consistently precise results. To highlight these capabilities, Whirlpool has teamed up with chef and former Top Chef contestant Thibaut Spiwack, who has created a series of recipes tailored to the appliances.
Induction hobs built for durability and flexibility
Whirlpool’s new induction hobs adopt a matte MattProtect finish, using glass that is three times more resistant to halos, scratches, and impacts than standard ceramic surfaces. They include Flexicook zones with automatic pan detection and 6th Sense functions for effortless melting and warming.
The new HeatControl cooktop adds a minimalist twist: its control panel disappears when the hob is off. Its standout feature is HeatControl technology, which maintains a precise, stable temperature inside cookware. Like the MattProtect models, it also supports 6th Sense and Flexizone cooking.
SenseWash: a smarter, more efficient washing machine
Rounding out the announcements is the SenseWash washing machine, engineered to cut energy use by 50% below the minimum required for class A. A network of sensors analyses load size, fabric type, and soil level to automatically optimise each cycle. AutoDose technology dispenses the right amount of detergent, while a 20‑minute steam refresh program offers quick garment care.
Wi‑Fi connectivity enables remote control through the HomeWhiz app, which unlocks additional specialised cycles. These programs evolve over time based on user feedback, and the app also provides real‑time energy‑consumption monitoring.
Groupe SEB,sharp decline
Groupe SEB, the company behind household names such as Tefal, Rowenta, and Moulinex, has reported a sharp decline in its 2025 financial results. Operating profit dropped to €601 million, a fall of 25% year‑on‑year, weighed down by US tariffs, currency headwinds, and a tough comparison base in its professional catering division. In response, the group has unveiled a major restructuring plan that includes significant job cuts across Europe—up to 500 positions in France alone.
The company generated €8.169 billion in revenue in 2025, representing modest organic growth of 0.3%. However, this slight increase failed to translate into profitability: operating profit fell from €802 million to €601 million, pushing the margin down from 9.7% to 7.4%.
CEO Stanislas de Gramont noted that strong innovation, growth in floor care, laundry care, and cookware, and rising online sales were “not enough to offset significant cyclical disruptions.”
Three main factors drove the downturn:
– US tariffs prompted distributors to scale back orders, with sales plunging 11% in Q2 and 14% in Q3.
– A stronger euro against emerging‑market currencies reduced profit by around €40 million.
– The professional equipment division lacked a major contract comparable to a large 2024 deal in China, costing a further €40 million.
Despite the difficult year, the final quarter brought signs of recovery. Groupe SEB achieved a 13.3% margin in Q4, US sales rebounded by 4.7%, and the dividend was maintained at €2.80 per share.
A Restructuring Plan Affecting Up to 2,100 Jobs
To restore profitability, the company is launching its Rebound Plan, targeting €200 million in annual savings by 2027. Measures include reduced purchasing costs, factory optimisation, and streamlined administrative structures.
This transformation will come with a heavy social cost: up to 2,100 jobs could be cut worldwide, including 1,400 in Europe and around 500 in France, mostly through voluntary departures. The restructuring will cost €200–250 million, largely impacting 2026 results.
Net debt rose to €2.34 billion, partly due to a €189.5 million fine from the French Competition Authority. Groupe SEB aims to reduce its debt ratio to around 2× EBITDA by 2027, down from 2.7× today.
Regional Performance: Europe Steady, China Recovers, South America Struggles
Europe delivered growth across most markets, with strong momentum in Eastern Europe—particularly Poland and the Czech Republic, driven by air fryers and coffee machines. Germany was the main exception, with declines in electric cooking appliances.
In China, sales grew 2.7% organically, marking a return to positive momentum. Subsidiary Supor continued to expand its presence on social platforms, which now represent 25% of its online sales.
South America faced a tougher year. The La Niña weather pattern cooled temperatures in Brazil, reducing demand for fans and contributing to a 6% regional sales decline.
CEO Stanislas de Gramont remains confident: “The strengths of our strategic model and the Rebound Plan reinforce our ambition of achieving 5% annual organic growth and an operating margin of 10%, moving toward 11% in the medium term
Repair Is the New Normal: The Case for an EU Circularity Action Plan
Circularity is often framed as a long‑term goal, but in reality, it’s already happening—and at scale.
Across the home appliance sector, hundreds of millions of products are repaired, maintained, and kept in use every single year. Instead of being discarded, they’re given a second life.
This ecosystem doesn’t happen by accident. It relies on strong repair networks, accessible spare parts, solid warranties, and product designs that make repair both possible and worthwhile. Today, appliance repair and servicing has grown into a billion‑euro industry of its own. 🛠
This is circularity in action: not asking consumers to change their behaviour, but creating better products and smarter systems that naturally support longer lifespans.
To build on what already works for consumers, Europe now needs an EU Action Plan for the Home Appliance Industry—one that champions repairability, durability, and fair competition.
👉🏼 Explore the campaign and proposals:
E.G.O new Polish plant
The relocation is complete! As planned, the E.G.O.-Group has moved into the new Polish plant in Łódź. The modern production facility of E.G.O. Polska Sp. z o.o. currently has a usable area of 15,000 square meters. This provides sufficient space for future growth and expansion.
Around 300 employees in Łódź produce electronic systems for dryers, washing machines, refrigerators, coffee machines, dishwasher panels, and induction heating elements.
Panasonic exits refrigerators and washing machines
Panasonic has officially pulled out of the refrigerator and washing machine categories in India, ending years of low sales and mounting losses. With market shares of just 0.8% in fridges and 1.8% in washing machines, the company struggled to compete in a crowded, price‑sensitive segment.
This exit is part of Panasonic’s global restructuring, allowing the brand to shift focus toward HVAC, B2B solutions, and smart home technologies—areas with stronger growth and profitability.
Panasonic says it will continue to support existing customers with service and spare parts, while helping dealers clear remaining stock.
The move highlights a broader trend in India’s appliance market: global brands are prioritising high‑margin, tech‑driven categories over traditional white good
Arçelik Confirms CEO Transition as Hakan Bulgurlu Steps Down After 11 Years
Arçelik has announced a major leadership change, confirming that long‑serving CEO Hakan Bulgurlu will step down after more than a decade leading Beko and 32 years within the Koç Group.
Bulgurlu will be succeeded by Can Dinçer, who currently serves as General Manager of Arçelik Türkiye and Chief Commercial Officer for South Asia and Turkey. The transition is scheduled to take effect following the company’s next Annual General Meeting.
To ensure continuity, Bulgurlu will remain on the Board of Directors of Beko BV until June 2026, supporting a smooth handover. He will also continue in his role as President of APPLiA Europe, the association representing the European home appliance industry, until the end of his term.
This marks one of the most significant leadership shifts in the sector this year, positioning Dinçer to guide Arçelik through its next phase of global growth and innovation.
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