Export sales dropped 13 percent compared to H1 2007, down to 355,500 units, worth a total €47.2 million. Sales on the Romanian market amounted to €46.4 million, slightly higher compared to the €45.5 million registered in the first six months of 2007. In terms of volume, sales exceeded 667,000 units, of which 312,000 were sold in Romania.
Of total units sold, some 500,000 were refrigerators, worth €75.2 million.
“In the first half of 2008, local sales increased slightly, on a market with tempered growth, below last year’s level. Results registered on external markets are proof of the international economic situation,” according to the company’s General Manager, Ugur Kayali. More than half of Arctic’s products are exported, and the international financial turmoil has impacted negatively on countries to which appliances are exported. “We are analyzing solutions to maintain exports. One option is to expand to new markets internationally,” Kayali added.
Last year, the company registered €224.3 million in turnover, with the sales volume exceeding 1.5 million units. Arctic is part of Turkish Arcelik group, Europe’s third-largest household appliance producer. Its main competitors are Electrolux, Indesit, Ariston, Zanussi, Whirlpool, Siemens, and Bosch.
