Glen Dimplex Home Appliances (GDHA) is planning to expand its customer care operation and increase its exports as it bids to cope with the tough economic climate.
The company, one of the region’s biggest private sector employers, is working to win regulatory approval to sell its products in new overseas markets.
It also plans to grow its on-site customer call centre, which already receives 1m calls a year, and take on more engineers as it bids to win and retain customers through the strength of its customer service.
GDHA, formerly the independent listed company Stoves, and now owned by Irish group Glen Dimplex, has a turnover of £150m a year and employs 1,200 people. The plant produces 350,000 appliances a year, from cooking ranges to worktop hobs.
Chief executive Denver Hewlett said: “What we’re focusing on now is really organic growth and looking at different parts of the market.
“We’re also looking at our professional appliances business to appeal to non-residential customers.
“We’ve also got a big customer care operation we’re trying to develop.”
The customer care call centre, which handles queries from customers about any problems with their products, will be expanded into an area currently used as a showroom for GDHA products. The new space will allow it to take on up to 30 more staff.
GDHA is creating a new showroom elsewhere on the site to showcase its ranges. As well as Stoves, its brands include Belling and New World.
The company is also developing its Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances business, which was set up in May last year to sell to commercial clients including caterers and hospitals.
It has developed solar-powered fridges to keep vaccines cool under the African sun. The professional appliances arm is launching a new professional cooker next year. Mr Hewlett said the company was making “steady progress” in developing its plans for more exports. It already sells to countries including Australia and Singapore.
