1950 to 1960
Established in a village of the same name, Gorenje began life as a producer of agricultural and construction machinery. In 1958, it started production of solid-fuel cookers. It shifted its premises to a nearby town, Velenje, where it set up its own production facilities.

1961 to 1970
Production of washing machines and refrigerators began during this period, and Gorenje soon became the largest manufacturer of household appliances in Yugoslavia. In 1961, it exported its first consignment of 200 cookers to Germany.

1971 to 1980
Gorenje's expansion program included the manufacturing of kitchen furniture, ceramic tiles, medical equipment, telecommunications, consumer electronics, and TV sets. Its operations were spread across the territory of Yugoslavia and it employed 20,000 people.

1981 to 1990
Investments in loss-making activities began to be reduced and Gorenje chose to focus on household appliances - where it had the most experience and good quality products. During this period, the company entered the Great Britain and U.S. markets.

1991 to 1996
The company underwent a complete restructuring of its business and ownership systems. Exports to foreign markets became crucial as a result of the loss of the local market and the break up of the former Yugoslavia. As new opportunities appeared in Eastern Europe due to the economic and political changes taking place in the region, Gorenje established companies in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, and Slovakia. Simultaneously it also established new companies on the territory of former the Yugoslavia.

1997 to 2002
A new phase of restructuring transformed Gorenje into a joint stock company. This period was one of infrastructure building as the company invested heavily in the expansion of its capacity, new markets, environmentally friendly technologies, and new product lines. The Intelligent Home by Gorenje

The Intelligent Home by Gorenje

Smart Homes are a buzzword among appliance makers. Though most appliance companies are developing prototypes of the "connected" appliance, few have answers as to what will work in the marketplace. According to Janez Smerdelj, Gorenje's head of Industrial Design, "The consumer does not want complex technical achievements but appliances and solution with clear and transparent additional benefits." Gorenje is therefore concentrating on three aspects:

• Development of electronic controls based on a single platform so that there is no problem with interfaces
• Development of intelligent household appliances
• Development of appropriate communication interfaces as well as the integration of the system to create an intelligent home of the future.

Gorenje recently showcased some of its initial intelligent appliance solutions:

The Washing/Drying Solution: companies have long dreamt of building a single appliance that can perform both washing and drying functions to cut out the process of loading and unloading clothes from one machine to another. However, the problem with such machines that are currently available is that only about half of the laundry can be dried after the washing process is complete. Gorenje showcased a prototype that is capable of performing both functions in a single machine without interruption and with the full laundry load.

The Cooling Solution: extending the shelf life of perishable food such as lettuce or fish in cooling zones with various temperatures is not a new idea. However, users are rarely aware of what foods need to be stored between 0°C and 8°C. A Gorenje Refrigerator of the Future eliminates this problem by offering a large LCD display that suggests what types of food should be stored at what temperatures. Slideout baskets and shelves allow easy access. A display shows the expiration date of the food stored.

The Gorenje design team is now working on connectivity among appliances through a single display unit. This will enable appliances to communicate with each other and assist in performing key functions. For instance, energy distribution can be managed more evenly so that when the washing machine is on, the oven will get into a delayed start mode, or vice versa. This will be particularly useful for certain markets such as Italy, where energy costs are prohibitive.

Other features, such as monitoring house security systems and illumination through a centralized control panel, are also being implemented.

Gorenje's Market Strategy

* Approximate figures.

Gorenje: Moving into the Fast Track Part 1