The total sales volume exceeded 1.5 million units, one percent down compared to 2007. Of the total units sold, some 1.2 million were refrigerators.
“The new economic setting led to changes that impacted on the household appliance industry," according to Arctic General Manager, Monica Iavorschi. The impact was felt especially in November and December 2008, when the overall market registered a 20 percent decline, she added.
Lending restrictions led to a drop in the demand for durable consumer goods. Arctic sales were 16 percent lower year-on-year in November and December, but there was no significant impact on whole year sales.
Furthermore, the positive evolution of the Turkish Arcelik group Beko brand, – a 19 percent increase in sales compared to 2007 – had a positive impact on the Arctic’s financial results. The brand reached a 4.7 percent market share, compared to 2.8 percent in the previous year.
