As Miele bedsdown a global turnover of €3.49bn in the 2014/15 financial year, it can thank the Australian operation for growing its share by 11% in value to $327 million over the 12 months to 30 June as well. When CEO Michael Jeanes joined the business in February 2006, it was turning over $148 million.
Miele results represent €267 m, or 8.3%, more than in the previous year. During the period under review, investments totaled €150 m.Behind these figures are sales of new ranges of built-in appliances, laundry-care products and an improved vacuum cleaner line-ups.
“Taking all this into consideration, we can be highly satisfied with the past business year”, Miele Group executive director responsible for Finances and Administration, Olaf Bartsch said in a statement.
While Miele recorded sales of € 1.03 bn, up year-on-year by 5.4% within its home market, outside Germany, sales grew by 10.1%, including healthy Australian growth. Despite inclement framework conditions, business in Russia made good progress, as well as the countries in southern Europe hardest hit by the debt crises, Greece included. In total, sales outside Germany grew by one percentage point to 70.4%.
Miele, executive director and co-proprietor of the family-owned company founded in 1899, Dr Markus Miele said that for the current fiscal year, management at Miele anticipates further growth in terms of both turnover and unit sales.
“With our products and marketing concepts, we are perfectly positioned to expand our market position, even in the face of more severe competition
“ To what extent this actually transpires depends not least on how economic framework conditions develop, considering for example the current economic slow-down in China, the new element of uncertainty,” he said.
Innovation instead of price wars
The company said that its strong presence in the trade and among consumers is the result of a long-term corporate strategy based on a sense of responsibility. This includes an uncompromising focus on quality, succinctly expressed in the ‘Forever Better’ brand promise, but also in the consistent premium positioning of its products and an unerring focus on Miele as the one and only brand in the company’s portfolio.
Networking and automatic dispensing standards
Miele’s claim to technology and innovation leadership in its branch was further substantiated during the financial year just ended through new product launches such as that of the first combination of fully fledged Miele steam oven and fully fledged Miele microwave oven. This jumbo-size freestanding cooker offering untold variety and top Miele quality is currently responsible for significant jumps in turnover in North America.
In laundry care, Miele’s new PowerWash 2.0 system sets standards in terms of combining top-class detergency and maximum energy efficiency with short programme cycles. On the floorcare front, the worldwide launch of the Scout RX1, Miele’s first robovac, induced turnover growth. The same applies to classic canister vacuum cleaner ranges and the dual strategy of marketing high-performance models (PowerLine) alongside models ranges focusing more on optimised consumption (EcoLine).
During the financial year under review, the 50-millionth Miele vacuum cleaner left the assembly lines at the Miele Bielefeld production plant – and vacuum cleaner models from Miele were test winners in six important European markets, including Great Britain, France and the Netherlands.
At the Miele Group’s German locations there are currently 419 young people enrolled in one of 33 commercial or technical apprenticeship courses