Orders and consequently production volumes increased after the takeover of Gorenje and the arrival of the new owner Hisense, so that last year we manufactured the millionth device much earlier as usual (in November), and this year, despite a severe crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic when in March we had to shut down factories for three weeks, the millionth cooking appliance was produced as early as October 19th.

"In the spring, we almost gave up hope because of the coronavirus situation, as orders were reduced overnight to practically zero," says Rok Borovnik from Production Planning at the Cooking appliances factory. "Nevertheless, we picked up quickly, sales secured new orders and based on the good results of increasing productivity and good work of our production workers we immediately made up for the lag and fulfilled our obligations to the Sales department and thus to our customers."

In August, we received a record amount of orders, for certain types of appliances up to 25% more than last year. From July to August 2020, the quantities increased from 110,000 appliances per month to more than 180,000 appliances and from here only increased further. In September, we reached a record of 184,324 manufactured cooking appliances. As a result, we also manufactured the millionth appliance on October 19, thus setting a new milestone in Gorenje's production. But we already have new records in sight, as the annual amount of cooking appliances produced (1,373,000) will be the largest so far (last year we produced 1,200,000 appliances). We have already filled our orders by March 2021, which is very encouraging for the future of the cooking appliance factory.

"We donated the millionth appliance - an oven - to our colleague Dragica Senić from the galvanising plant, and this was also a symbolic gesture to show that the galvanising plant is now a part of the cooking appliances factory, not only formally, but is the heart of cooking appliances production. We are all one team and through teamwork we strive to grow and improve results, ”said Jernej Heindl, director of the Cooking Appliances Factory. "We are very proud of the milestone we have reached and we are boldly looking at new, ambitious goals. Congratulations to the entire team of cooking appliances, who with their commitment and dedication in difficult conditions have shown that we can handle even such great challenges. "

Employee Dragica Senić, who was with the help of the union chosen as the recipient of the millionth appliance, has been employed by Gorenje for 36 and a half years, all the time working in the galvanising plant. "Our millionth appliance is definitely going to the right person," said Zlatko Svečko, head of the galvanising plant Galvana. "Dragica is a trademark of Galvana and with her knowledge, accuracy and diligence is respected in her work environment, and she successfully passes all this on to younger colleagues."

"I am very proud of our achievement and I am glad that I was chosen for this award, I really did not expect it," said Dragica Senić. “I have been working at Galvana since 1984, and from the very beginning I have also worked night shifts, Saturdays, I have never refused work. I am proud of my work and of the fact that we managed to set new records this year despite such a difficult situation. ” And what will be the first delicious dish cooked in Dragica's new 3 in 1 combined oven (convection, steam and microwave oven in one appliance)? »My husband will be able to tell you that, he cooks most of the time, while I do the tidying up,« Dragica laughed.