Exports drive growth Podgorje

Salinen Austria AG

One of the most basic products that significantly determines the flavour of products is cooking salt.

The main aspect when choosing salt is the product’s cleanliness and quality relevancy.

For more than 20 years the Salinen group has been providing the cooking salt as a base material to create the product’s peculiar flavours.

able space. The plant should come into full operation in 2016.

The second project is a production plant, which will be based at Szeged. This is a slightly longer-term project and is intended to ensure that Pick is able to maintain and increase its market position by having the capacity to meet increasing demand. The production plant is intended to have the most modern and efficient food processing technologies. Once again quality is a major factor and the plant will be built to the highest standards for food safety and hygiene requirements. This project is due for completion in 2018.

Strong position

Pick has managed to retain its position as the market leading Hungarian producer, however, due to the recession the company has seen a change in local requirements. The local demand for high quality and higher priced products has fallen on the domestic market over recent years. Despite the local trend Pick has been successful in promoting its products in the export market with its products being widely available in nearly 30 countries, on the shelves of 200 different retail chains.

The company aims to revive the flagging Hungarian market whilst increasing its export activities. It is seeking to reinforce its brands to ensure that they remain the consumer’s first choice in all segments. According to one of the major leading market research companies the PICK brand is one of the strongest Hungarian brands. Pick Szeged Zrt. is very proud of the fact that the company is the only food producing company in Hungary with two Hungaricum products.

Despite the recent economic problems that have affected businesses and consumers alike, Pick is optimistic for the future. As part of the Bonafarm Group it has the advantage of a complete ‘land to table’ supply chain. An effective marketing strategy and commitment to investment and customer satisfaction are key components in ensuring that the company is in an excellent position to meet the challenges that lay ahead. n

EXPORTS DRIVE GROWTH

The combination of high technology, flexibility of the production process and years of experience has enabled Slovenian company Podgorje to come up with perfect solutions in manufacturing interior designs for recreational vehicles, boats, mobile homes and other special furniture. Mr Marijan Kostanjšek, director of the company, talked to Vanja Švačko about the company’s achievements and future growth strategy.

IN its 60 year history Podgorje has grown from a small company in the Slovenian city of Šentjernej into a modern and competitive European business dealing with development, production and marketing of high-quality built-in furniture for caravans, motor homes and boats and other special furniture. It currently has around €20 million annual turnover.

The company is situated on a 30.000m2 site, a third of which is covered facilities. Around 300 employees and 40 CNC machines carry out the production of furniture for Slovenian business partners, whose products are mostly sold in Europe and some specific and very demanding parts of furniture for export.

Environmentally appropriate

The geographical position of Slovenia and natural resources the company is surrounded with are also very rewarding for the business. Materials used in furniture production originate from FSC certified forests.

Mr Kostanjšek explained, “Our buyers are demanding the best quality furniture, light in weight, with a lot of complicated details. The high-tech equipment enables us to process wood in different ways – from boards and plywood to surface treatment, lacquered solid parts, kitchen tops, tables, doors and curved products etc. We have developed a good system with our subcontractors who are specialists for some operations on our furniture and we have ourselves 30 per cent of free capacity on most of our production lines.”

Podgorje enjoys long-term collaboration with renowned suppliers, one of them being the specialised producer and distributor of edge bandings Blažič robni trakovi from Slovenia.

Investing in advantages

Apart from upgrading the equipment and improving the working conditions, educating employees and updating them with recent developments in the industry is one of the important parts of Podgorje’s investing