From
a small Slovenian village to international recognition
The story
began in the idyllic village of Gorenje, Slovenia in 1950. In a small workshop they
first started with the production
of agricultural machinery. However, by newfound opportunities in the developing
home appliances sector they produced their first solid fuel cooker in 1958. The
fast-growing company soon had to relocate for production purposes. In 1960 they
moved to Velenje, a small town that has been the home of Gorenje ever since.
Along the journey Gorenje has become one
of the most established Slovenian brands and a leader in the Adriatic region,
where its market share today is around 30%. After joining the Hisense Group in 2018, Gorenje has gained access to new markets, and, above all, new knowledge,
and opportunities for even faster technological progress. In 2024 Gorenje
was outperforming in major domestic appliances, which led to an increase of
market shares in all European regions and in all product groups with the
strongest position in cooking (ranked 4th) and refrigerators (ranked
6th). In 2024, Gorenje especially stood out in Eastern Europe by
taking a second place with a 10,6% market share.
Innovation
for Life Simplified
The mission of Gorenje has always been
to play a vital role in making everyday life and chores a little easier, less complicated,
and more pleasant. Thus, products are very diverse, and they include both large
and small household appliances. Innovative solutions deliver optimum usability
and effortless, intuitive operation, giving perfect results with faster and
better task performance. For that Gorenje products offer advanced features and
functionalities. In laundry care, for example, washing and drying with
steam, tailor-made programmes for special fabrics, quick washing options,
gentle drying programmes that mimic drying in nature, and triple A efficiency
in energy, noise and spinning. In dishwashing, complete drying of
dishes, smart detergent dosing for up to 20 washing cycles, low energy
consumption A-10%, and antibacterial protection solutions. In cooking and
baking, even baking technology, automatic programmes adapted to individual
dishes (most recent is PizzaPlus programme), steam supported baking, and induction hobs with flexible
cooking zones, automatic programmes, stable heat, and intuitive pot detection. In storing food, adjusted drawers with excellent storage conditions,
adaptive technology automatically adjusted to user habits, and the option to
choose different dimensions and volumes, for example fridge-freezer with the
biggest volume in its category.
Useful
design that impresses
Gorenje is also a brand that brought design
as a main competitive tool into the home appliances market. Their
appliances are designed not only to meet users’ needs and expectations but also
to reflect their personality and style, which has led Gorenje to introduce
world-leading designers like Pininfarina, Ora Ito, Karim Rashid, and Starck to
the white goods industry in the first decade of the millennium.
Design efforts haven’t gone unnoticed
— Gorenje has received numerous prestigious design awards, including
several Red Dot Awards, the iF Design Award, the Iconic Awardand German Design Award for outstanding design achievements. Among the
latest award-winning appliances are technologically advanced, efficient, and
economical built-in ovens G800 Series (Full steam built-in oven; compact built-in
oven and Induction hood in hob).
Smart
solutions and sustainable living
Besides developing individual smart
appliances, that optimize daily chores, Gorenje developed another innovative
solution, which is actively being implemented with the latest models of smart
household appliances – the ConnectLife platform that offers convenient,
time-saving solutions, such as remote control, device monitoring, and appliance
management via smartphone. It also provides a lot of useful content,
instructions and, last but not least, recipes.
Along with smart connectivity, sustainability has become increasingly important in the design of Gorenje household
appliances. Recycled materials, along with smart features that save time,
energy, and water, reduce costs and create a more effortless, eco-friendly
lifestyle for users.
The EcoVadis 2024 silver medaland Green star 2023 certificate predicts an even greater focus on
sustainable development, with 96% recycling of generated waste, the
introduction of 100% recyclable packaging, a reduction in transport routes and
thus C02 emissions among the goals.
Strong focus on the future
The future of home appliances lies in smart,
integrated ecosystems that seamlessly communicate and automate tasks, saving
time and effort. Appliances will become more personalized, adapting to
individual needs, and will prioritize sustainability with energy-efficient,
eco-friendly designs. All of this is in line with Gorenje’s values and mission.
Therefore, Gorenje will continue to care for its customers who value a
reliable, quality and customer-friendly brand that simplifies people’s daily
lives, no matter their age.
Last but not least, Gorenje has been a
strong supporter of sporting events for many years (the latest being the Men’s
and Women’s EHF EURO 2024, Men’s EHF Champions League, and UEFA EURO 2024) and
will continue to do so in the future by sponsoring also the National Handball
Association of Slovenia, the local handball club Gorenje Velenje, the Slovenian
ski jumping team, and events like the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
At Gorenje we know that the future
belongs generations that value brands having impact on creating a better world
by doing meaningful good. And our goal is to have an important role in this
future.