Serbia’s sweet success Knjaz Milos and Bambi

presence in the US market is the next big step, and as a new mechatronic provider we can also offer new ideas and new more flexible product development services. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, and as a result we have significantly reduced waste and improved our production processes, which are now more efficient and consume less energy than before”.

Customised user-interfaces

The Everel Group is the world’s leading provider of customised user-interfaces for the specific needs of the domestic appliance and automotive industries. It is acknowledged that household and professional users prefer to buy appliances with advanced features but still choose to opt for traditional user-interfaces such as knobs to quickly select a function. Today with Everel products, it is not only possible to customise the rotation of the knob, for example, torque value, fixed detent positions, momentary positions and free-rotation, but also to offer a push-button mechanism that can be added to allow the user to simply push the knob to enable a selected function.

Everel also offers dual-encoder mechanisms for more complex user-interface operations, as well as a wide range of advanced features such as displays, which can be integrated into the board to show the knob position. LED lighting is also embedded into the encoder to turn the knob on when required. In another move, Everel has also developed four new PCBs for its EC brushless motors designed for domestic and industrial fan units. All these Everel drivers have a micro-processor built-in to manage the various advanced operating features.

For its most popular SELV 12 Vac, Everel has developed a 230 Vac version, which does not rely on an external power supply, in contrast to most other brushless motors on the market. This version is specially designed to optimise the efficiency of domestic applications and air-exchange fans. Everel’s second version is suitable for motors up to 15W power on application with rear fastening. In this version, two options are available: SELV 12 and 230 Vac. n

For further details of Everel’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.everel.eu

PURSUIT OF QUALITY

The Chinese company Sunner, part of the global Sunner Group, has over 10 years’ experience in the manufacture of white goods components, covering a complete range of gas cooker and oven components. Industry Europe finds out more about its activities.

With 12 factories located in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Hong Kong and more besides, Sunner has the Chinese market for high quality oven components well and truly covered.

But the company’s ambitions reach further than this: in addition to leading the domestic market, it plans to one day become the global leader in free standing and built-in cooker components. And with Asian companies increasingly recognised for their quality and reliability – as opposed to simply their competitive pricing – this is by no means an unachievable goal.

Production profile

Sunner’s wide and continuously updated range of oven components has certainly gained a reputation for quality. It covers everything from door hinges, motors, mechanical timers, knobs and lampholders to adjustable legs, cast iron grids, steel grids, pipe holders and much more. New additions to the range include a turnspit, glass cover hinge supports and a micro switch.

In addition to its production capacities, the company also has an in-house testing centre. Here it can carry out data identification, production design and salt fog testing, amongst other things, to ensure its components continue to meet the high standards of quality it has set itself. All production is certified according to the ISO 9001, CE, SGS, ROHS, UL and VDE standards.

A positive outlook

In order to continue meeting these criteria, Sunner fosters a positive corporate culture amongst its employees with ‘Confidence, Integrity, Motivation and Innovation’ being the watchwords to success. According to the company, it is these values, combined with a strict focus on quality under the maxim ‘Quality is life’, that has enabled it to build up strong relationships with its clients. It believes this will also allow it to continue growing its strong international reputation in the coming years. n

SERBIA’S SWEET SUCCESS

Two dynamic Serbian companies are building on the excellent opportunities this fast-moving, centrallylocated country has to offer to customers worldwide. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to Daniel Boehi, CEO of mineral water producer Knjaz Milos and COO of confectionery manufacturer Bambi to learn more.

With mineral water producer Knjaz Milos achieving higher profit margins than Nestlé and confectionery manufacturer Bambi one of the largest and most profitable companies in Serbia, it is clear that these two companies have a lot to offer. Daniel Boehi is CEO of Knjaz Milos and COO of Bambi; his passion for Serbia, his personal knowledge of international marketing and manufacturing, and his understanding of how to create and deliver products that consumers want to buy is a key element in these two success stories.

Mr Boehi explained to Industry Europe how the unique history of both Knjaz Milos and Bambi has driven their growth. He said, “Both companies come from a long communist history in Serbia where they were owned by the state. This environment meant that while all the equipment was very well made, it was not particularly technically-advanced. We also have a great deal of skill and experience in our workforce, gained over years of hard work that was focused on solid performance.”

Strong foundations

This strong foundation proved to be an appealing prospect when investment group Salford Capital Partners bought Knjaz Milos and Bambi in 2004, alongside other Serbian state owned companies in the dairy, beverage and confectionery industries. Mr Boehi continued, “The investment group carefully selected companies that were not necessarily in perfect condition in terms of commercial performance but were well suited to restructuring and resale.”

Today, Knjaz Milos and Bambi have harnessed almost-constant investment and modernisation to ensure that it is able to offer the best of its long-term know-how alongside its thoroughly modern marketing capabilities. Mr Boehi said, “We have completed a number of phases to bring all the production capacity right up to the modern age; restructured, invested, new marketing, new procedures, new products, a new way of selling ...we are fresh and innovative while not forgetting our strong Serbian background in high quality manufacturing.”

Mr Boehi clearly explained the role the former-Yugoslavian protected markets played in the history of Knjaz Milos and Bambi, and the impact this had on the companies’ understanding of how to maximise potential.

Polymer Commerce d.o.o. was established in 2008. We work with leading companies in the confectionery, dairy, ice-cream and frozen food industries, including: Bambi-Banat AD Pozarevac; Imlek AD Beograd; AD Mlekara Subotica; Frikom AD Beograd; Niska Mlekara AD; Kuc Company Ltd and Mlekoprodukt Zrenjanin.

Our products are made from PS, PET and PVC, depending on customer needs. Our current portfolio includes more than 50 different types of containers and closures. Our vision is to meet the needs of the Serbian market, and exports, in compliance with all relevant environmental regulations.

Polimer Commerce D.o.o. Prvomajska 4/a, Plandiste, Serbia www.polimer-commerce.com