Annual Report Gorenje Group 2009

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Household Appliances Division
In 2009 the research-development activity was strengthened in spite of the world crisis. Work in
development departments was focused on key areas in order to assure our long-term competitiveness:
• energy with the emphasis on the reduction in consumption of energy products and
development of new, innovative technologies and products reducing energy consumption;
• simplicity of operation of household appliances and their connections that enable
development of additional functionalities due to a possibility of remote control;
• search for new materials enabling development of new or improved functionalities of our
existing products; ecological suitability of materials and their influence of the cost-efficiency of
the Group are of increasing importance.
Our strategic orientation is inclusion of external partners in our research-development projects: Institute
Jožef Stefan Ljubljana, Faculty of electro-technology, computing and informatics Maribor, Faculties of
mechanical engineering in Ljubljana and Maribor and Tecos Celje. In 2009 the co-operation with worldrecognised
experts in scope of the MSESI project (Gorenje Management Strategy for Excellence in
Sustained Innovation) continued.
We were also successful in obtaining co-financing of research-development projects in the territory of
the Republic of Slovenia. We are part of various consortia in the areas that are important for us from
the aspect of assurance of long-term competition. The most important Slovene projects in 2009 were:
integration of a multi-function space in a cooling-freezing appliance (IVP HZA) and development of high
energy efficient household appliances (VUD++).
We were successful within a consortium applying with the CO NIN - Centre of excellence of nanoscience
and nano-technology (CO NIN). Funds were obtained also in scope of the seventh framework
programme of the European Union where we participated in the INNOSHADE and BEYWATCH
projects.
Home Interior Division
The programme of kitchen furniture was unified and the sales range expanded. This will provide
significantly more possibilities to a customer when planning a kitchen than in the past. In addition to the
development of new products and technologies we placed a great emphasis on research activity and
co-operation with external institutions, mostly in the field of ecology, design and new technologies.
84
Annual Report Gorenje Group 2009