In the second half of 2019, the Miele Group achieved a turnover of € 2.24 bn – 3.2% more than in the previous year. ’This is once again evidence that we are well positioned with our products and services to increase turnover and gain market shares under challenging conditions and intense competition in the marketplace’, according to the Executive Board of the world’s leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances. During the current year, this course for growth will be further consolidated – for example with kitchen appliances from the new Generation 7000 series, which will set standards in the market with numerous exclusive innovations. On December 31, 2019, Miele employed a workforce worldwide of 20,478 – more than ever before.

This publication of half-time figures is due to the fact that the Miele Group has changed its business year to coincide with the calendar year (instead of running from July 1 to June 30). This results in a one-off stub year. In particular, large European markets such as Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy and, after a long Brexit-related dry spell, Great Britain, contributed to this positive development. In the highly contested German market, Miele achieved turnover growth of 2.7%. In contrast, business in Hong Kong is suffering from political unrest. In China, state intervention has resulted in a subdued real estate market – also impacting business with high-quality kitchen equipment.

Amongst the product groups, above all washing machines, tumble dryers and vacuum cleaners contributed most to sales growth. In laundry care, numerous detail improvements ensure increased user convenience: These include shorter programme cycles, the ability to add forgotten items of laundry at any time throughout the cycle and even the energy-efficient washing of individual garments. In the booming sector of rechargeable handsticks, the Triflex HX1 has got off to a very successful market start. Across all product groups, campaign models marking 120 years of Miele (Series 120) resulted in significant additional impetus. With its built-in appliances from the new Generation 7000, Miele is reasserting its leading role in the fields of innovation, design and lifestyle pleasures in the kitchen. With 3,000 model versions spanning 15 product groups worldwide, now off to a very promising start in almost all countries, this amounts to the biggest product launch in the history of the company.

Above-average growth during the reporting period was recorded by Miele Professional with machines and services for commercial operations, medical facilities and laboratories, and its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. Steelco is in charge of the aspiring hospital project business within the Miele Group. Compact commercial washing machines and dryers for small businesses (Little Giants), which have been on the market since last year with a completely new model series, represent a further growth driver. In total, Professional turnover grew by more than 4%.

New impetus for growth and innovation

In order to exploit further sustainable growth potential, Miele has, as reported last October, undergone reorganisation – for example with 8 independent business units, remapped sales territories and a new location devoted to digital marketing which is currently being set up in Amsterdam (Digital Hub). The new production plant for washing machines, built by Miele in the Polish town of Ksawerów, has commenced operations on schedule. Miele Venture Capital GmbH, which brings together Miele’s stakes in promising start-ups, has further expanded its activities.

During the period under review alone, two new 100% subsidiaries were added to the portfolio: With the takeover of the business operations of Agrilution GmbH, Miele entered the future field of vertical farming – with stacked and digitally connected Plantcubes sporting an elegant design for private homes. With a minimum of effort, these offer the ideal growing conditions for, say, greens and herbs. Miele Operations & Payment Solutions GmbH offers a unique, app-based solution covering the furbishing, organisation, servicing and billing in shared laundry facilities (appWash). This can even go as far as assuming responsibility for the entire operation. This is aimed for example at student hostels, housing associations, multi-unit dwellings, campsites and launderettes. With these and other activities, Miele is pursuing its strategic goal of continuing to expand its portfolio and grow with innovative products and digital services which meaningfully complement its core business.

As per December 31, the Miele Group had 20,478 employees on its payroll. This amounted to 163 employees, or 0.8%, more than in the previous year. In Germany, Miele employs a workforce of 11,061, down 209 on the previous year.

Miele is not only in the premium class with its devices, but also in customer service. This is the result of the current Kundenmonitor Deutschland, where Miele was once again crowned the winner. The evaluation is based on 1,626 interviews conducted throughout Germany with users of customer services for large household appliances (conducted in the period October 2018, January, April and July 2019).

In the survey, the respondents were able to submit their rating on a scale of 5, whereby the rating “1” corresponded to the top grade. Miele’s rating of customer satisfaction is 1.91, well above the industry average of 2.1. Miele is also above the industry average when it comes to customer service re-election intent (1.77) and customer service recommending (1.96). The average for the industry is 1.97 and 2.17, respectively.

Miele also leads the industry when it comes to the question of image. A total of 53 percent agreed with the statement “I trust this customer service. The average rating is ten percentage points lower (43 percent). At 48 percent, Miele also sets itself a similar distance from the industry average (41 percent) with regard to the statement “I value myself as a customer in this customer service.”

“The continuity with which Miele is always first on the customer monitor is something we are a little proud of. However, this result proves that we succeeded in the interaction of qualified service and respectful dealings with our customers, “explains Guido Geller, Head of Miele Customer Service in Germany, adding:” However, this does not just include the customer’s performance but the back office area also counts – from the order acceptance over the appointment allocation up to the appropriate spare part supply. “

The Romanian unit of German-based manufacturer of high-end household appliances Miele said on Wednesday it has opened a new showroom in the city of Oradea.

This is Miele’s fifth showroom in Romania, it said in a press release.

“The decision to open the newest Miele showroom in the west of the country is part of our expansion strategy in the most important regions of Romania, but also where the brand is notorious. The consolidation of the brand will continue, we are already taking important steps towards finalising the arrangements to open our sixth showroom, in the histprical region of Moldova,” Miele Romania director Loredana Butnaru said.

Miele Romania’s turnover increased 35% to 8.5 million euro ($9.4 million) in 2018, marking its sixth consecutive year of growth.

Miele is present in Romania since 2007 and has a network of 70 sales points – own showrooms, exclusive shops and partner stores. The retailer has showrooms in capital Bucharest, Timisoara, Constanta and now Oradea.

Founded in 1899, Miele has eight manufacturing subsidiaries in Germany and one subsidiary in each of the following countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania.

In its financial year 2017-2018, Miele achieved sales of 4.1 billion euro.

Miele Group continues to grow despite a cooling world economy and increased competition. In the 2018/19 financial year which ended on 30 June 2019, the global manufacturer of premium domestic appliances achieved sales of €4.16 bn. This corresponds to a growth in sales of 1.5%. Excluding trade through Miele’s Korean subsidiary Yujin Robot, incorporated for the first time in company accounts, group turnover would have been 0.2% higher than in the previous year.

In its 120th year of existence, Miele successfully staged the biggest product launch in its history, thereby improving the basis for future growth. On balance, employment in Germany stands at 20,221, on a par with the previous year. Investments of €256m were made during the period under review.

In view of the mixed framework conditions currently prevailing, Miele’s executive board sees this moderate growth in company sales as being “a positive and promising sign”. Although current economic risks continue to persist and fundamental changes have been wrought in the competitive landscape, Miele has set itself the target of achieving stronger growth in the current 2019/20 fiscal year and beyond.

In pursuit of this goal, Miele will turn its attention to opening new business fields and developing its internal position in R&D, production, marketing and administration to meet future needs. Considerable additional investments have been earmarked for these and other purposes. The first steps moving forward include an expansion of the Smart Home business unit and the activities of Miele Venture Capital, which takes out stakes in promising startups.

The new washing machine plant belonging to the Miele Group in the Polish town of Ksawero´w is due to come online on schedule at the start of 2020. At the same time, Miele’s production location in Gu¨tersloh will be further strengthened – as the lead plant in the laundry-care sector with its three sites in Gu¨tersloh, Ksawero´w and Unic?ov (Czech Republic).

In the Professional business unit, the Miele Group, including its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco, recorded sales of €621m, up 5.2% compared with the previous year. A division of labour concentrating all business with central sterile supply departments (CSSDs) in hospitals with Steelco has proved valid. In turn, Miele focuses on practices, outpatient surgeries and laboratories. In total, the Miele Group grew above-average in the medical and laboratory fields, despite an investment slowdown in this area. Thanks to a thoroughly redesigned and improved model generation, similar applies to semi-commercial small laundry machines (Little Giants).

New flagship stores – Miele Experience Centres – have opened in Amsterdam, Bilbao, Gdansk, Kiev and Toronto and Miele also added a sales subsidiaries in Brazil and Thailand.