Ljubljana, 30 March (STA) – Household appliances company BSH Hišni aparati, a Slovenian subsidiary of German concern BSH Bosch and Siemens, reported on Friday EUR 337.2m in revenues for 2011, almost a 25% increase on the year before. Net profit increased fivefold to EUR 31m.

Boštjan Gorjup of BSH Hišni aparati told the press that the company saw a return-on-capital rate of 70% last year, while BSH also made it among the ten largest Slovenian exporters. The Nazarje-based company generated 81% of its revenue internally, as part of the BSH group. »Direct sales to buyers« account for just under 20% of the revenue. The largest share of the »direct sales revenue«, EUR 24m, was secured in Slovenia. Serbia and Croatia followed in the region with EUR 11m and EUR 10m respectively, EUR 6m worth of products were sold in Bulgaria, EUR 2m each in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania, while Montenegro and Macedonia accounted for EUR 1m each. As regards the revenue generated within the BSH system, Germany accounted for 28%, Russia for 15%, Scandinavia 10%, France 6%, Poland 5% and Austria 3%. BSH Hinšni aparati spent EUR 20m on investments and development last year, while using 70% of the company’s production capacities. The company’s general director Gerlad Schmidt, who took over this year, identified today Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria as the markets with the biggest untapped potential. While explaining that the focus in the production line had moved towards small household appliances, Schmidt announced an increase in the market share in the field of household appliances in Slovenia, where the company presently only trails Gorenje.