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INI-730/12

GORENJE, d.d., Velenje

Asko manufacturing operations to be shifted from Sweden to Slovenia next year

The shift is a part of the efforts to restructure Gorenje's Swedish subsidiary

Pursuant to relevant legislation, the company Gorenje, d.d., Velenje, Slovenia, hereby informs the shareholders and the public of the following:

Velenje, Slovenia / Vara, Sweden; July 6, 2012 – Board of Directors of Asko, a Gorenje subsidiary, adopted the decision today to shift the entire Asko manufacturing operations from the plant in Vara, Sweden, to Gorenje facilities in Velenje, Slovenia. The shift will be completed in the course of next year. Asko research and development, brand management, and marketing departments will remain in Vara. Thus, approximately 50 out of the current 500 employees will keep their employment at the company Asko. Manufacturing operations in Vara represent approximately 7% of Gorenje Group's overall production output.

Asko board adopted the said decision based on detailed analyses on various possibilities for restructuring of the company, and following the completion of negotiations with representative trade unions regarding these possibilities. Shifting the entire manufacturing operations while keeping the R&D, brand management, and marketing teams was found to be the optimum solution from the economic aspect.

Relocation of production from Vara to Velenje will be carried out in two stages. Washing machine and dryer production will be terminated in Sweden on January 31, 2013, and resumed in Velenje in April; production of dishwashers will be wrapped up in Sweden on June 30, 2013, to be re-launched in Velenje in September.

Gorenje Group acquired the Swedish company Asko in 2010. Despite numerous projects to improve their performance, Asko has seen negative results that consistently fell short of the plans. Furthermore, competition from manufacturers from low-cost countries, as well as from major players who have been increasing the share of their manufacturing operations there, is growing more stringent, adding to the mounting pressure on downstream prices, which also results from excess capacity and bleak economic outlook.

The decision to shift the production from Sweden is a part of the efforts to optimize manufacturing operations, conducted by the Gorenje Group pursuant to the corporate strategic plan for the period 2012 – 2015.

Disclaimer: The English text for all announcements is for information purposes only!

The information in this announcement will be available on the official web site of the company Gorenje, d.d., Velenje, Slovenia, www.gorenje.com, for at least 5 years from the date of this announcement.

Management Board of Gorenje, d.d.
Date: 06.07.2012