By Martin Vedris

SYDNEY: All Miele Australia and Miele New Zealand employees and their partners were invited to meet in Canberra on April 12 and 13 to celebrate being part of the international Miele family.

With the theme of ‘together we are one’, there was an impressive turnout of 480 attendees, with most Miele employees accompanied by their partners. The event commenced with a reception and formal presentation at the National Convention Centre, followed by a gala dinner and entertainment in the Great Hall of Parliament House.

Managing Director Michael Jeanes, said he was delighted by his staff’s response to the event.

“Since its foundation more than 100 years ago, Miele has always been a family-owned and operated company. As the local Australian and New Zealand Miele team, we are part of this global family and must work together as one to become forever better in delivering customer-focused solutions,” Jeanes said.

The weekend gave Miele staff the opportunity to learn more about the recently completed new company structure.

In order to successfully manage the planned growth in sales to $450 million by 2010, Miele has invested in excess of $25 million in upgrading its local infrastructure with a national distribution centre in Rosehill, four new interstate warehouses and new Miele Galleries in Perth and Auckland.

Whilst Miele is now a centrally managed business with respect to infrastructure and operational issues, its sales will continue to be driven at a local level.

“To be the brand of choice is about being customer-focused and acting like the market leader at all points of contact. It’s about being credible and collaborating across all functions of the business to deliver optimum customer-focused solutions. In short, it’s about people’s motivation and passion for the Miele brand,” Jeanes continued.

“At Miele, we recognise that we are in a people’s business and that motivated and passionate staff are our most valuable asset. We have invested in this staff event to thank and motivate all Miele staff in their continued quest to deliver even more customer-focused solutions in support of our Chartered Agents.”