The heart of the home Jøtul

THE HEART OF THE HOME

Norwegian company Jøtul has earned its position as the world’s leading manufacturer of cast-iron stoves and fireplaces through continual development and a passion for making high-quality products. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to managing director Erik Moe to find out how this is being achieved.

Established in Norway in 1853, Jøtul has gained a reputation for quality with its manufacture of cast-iron stoves and fireplaces under the respected Jøtul brand. As the world’s leading manufacturer in its field, Jøtul has added the sheet-steel-based stoves and fireplace brands Scan and Atra to its offering, with each meeting a particular need in the market.

Managing director Erik Moe told Industry Europe how the Jøtul Group is well-placed to deliver a suitable product for various target markets. He said, “We have both modern and classic designs, all manufactured with high-quality craftsmanship to ensure they meet the long-lasting, high quality demands the Jøtul name represents. The Jøtul, Scan and Atra brands are all appreciated for their beauty, reliability and efficacy, with the varied styling carefully developed to guarantee that every customer can find a Jøtul stove or fireplace which will perfectly complement their home.”

Professional network

The company’s long history has certainly supported its global sales network, as many of its merchants have worked with Jøtul for decades. Mr Moe added, “We have developed excellent relationships with our merchants, which is a key aspect of our continued success as it ensures our customers get the best and most professional advisors and installers. We’re not just trying to sell a stove or fireplace, we’re selling the heart of the home and we want to get it just right every time.”

This focus is central to Jøtul’s business development and sales channel activities. Mr Moe explained that as the stove or fireplace burns inside the home, it is imperative that the end users can totally trust the product and how it is installed so they feel safe and can enjoy the product. The advice offered by the sales people must therefore address any possible customer concerns. Jøtul has its own dealer training school which guarantees that each of its speciality dealers has an advanced understanding of the related installation and fire regulations in each market and for each product, with this provision acting as a valuable sales tool.

Expanding the network

All of the Jøtul products are sold through specialist retailers, with the company enjoying a strong multi-national market share, and particularly in its domestic market where it takes the number one spot. The company’s core markets are the Nordic area, France and the USA, with positive

SCHOTT

The Jøtul group and SCHOTT ROBAX® have been working closely together for many years. SCHOTT delivers flat and bent glass-ceramic panels in different sizes to the whole Jøtul group worldwide. SCHOTT ROBAX® is an extremely heat-resistant, transparent glass ceramic with more than 30 years of history.

As the Jøtul group is one of the frontrunners among stove manufactures the designers of the Jøtul and the R&D engineers from SCHOTT ROBAX® have developed a close relationship during the years. One of the latest successes from this partnership is the new Scan 85, a tall and wide glass ceramic. Combined with the modern cast iron design you get an excellent view of the flames while enjoying a cozy feeling of the warmth.

representation in Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Jøtul currently exports to more than 35 countries and although it has no current plans to expand into new areas, it is increasing its roster of distributors and importers.

Mr Moe said, “We are always looking at our dealer network to ensure that it is best serving our customers and appealing to potential customers. We invest a great deal in marketing to both end users and dealers, with this mostly achieved through increasing our presence in showrooms, cooperative advertising with our dealers and developing our website to be more user friendly. We are currently working on making the site better suited to our customers’ needs, with a greater emphasis on the products and their advantages.”

Jøtul has recently launched the Scan 85, which is a free-standing stove that has the visual appeal and styling of a fireplace. Already well-received in all Jøtul’s European markets, the Scan 85 represents a breakthrough for the company as it is its first large-scale stove that also maintains the famous Jøtul Group appealing contemporary design. focused on quality and safety, with additional contemporary designs joining its portfolio of classic and traditional products. A vital part of its growth strategy is to continue expand its market share in existing geographical markets and distribution channels through continued product development and R&D, particularly as the Jøtul product range is already highly respected and there is a global trend for responsible and effective use of natural resources while still keeping homes warm and looking good. This means that Jøtul is well-positioned to utilise the opportunities presented in interior design trends as well as responsible home insulation and energy usage trends.

Mr Moe concluded, “We will continue torefine our sales and marketing strategy too, so that we truly have the best of the past with our solid history and respected product range, and the best of the future with an enhanced website, excellent marketing activities and a complete understanding of what various target customer groups want. Above all, we’re always working to improve our efficiency throughout the organisation by applying lean principles that use all our resources – natural, human and financial – as effectively as possible.” n

Well-positioned for further development

As Jøtul looks forward to continued success, the long-established stove and fireplace company is committed to staying