Golob meets BSH management, talks flood reconstruction

According to the prime minister's office, the BSH representatives updated Golob on the company's activities, with a particular focus on restoring the household appliance factory in Nazarje, which suffered significant damage during the floods last year. They also discussed challenges in employment, the competitiveness of the European market, and the future of BSH's operations in Slovenia.

The factory of the Nazarje-based company was submerged two metres under water during last year's floods, but more than 70% of the equipment managed to be salvaged.

The production disruption affected the company's business performance. Last year, net revenues fell by a quarter to EUR 364 million compared to the previous year, and net profit dropped by 19% to EUR 9.6 million.

The German-owned company, which employs around 1,400 workers, estimated the total damage from the floods, including lost revenue, at over EUR 100 million. Currently, 95% of production is operational, and they are forecasting EUR 460 million in revenue for this year.

Regarding the search for a new site for relocating production, BSH stated in August that they are considering land across the regional road, where they already have a large central warehouse. The plan is to move the most technologically demanding assembly lines to the new production hall, while the current production halls would retain less complex assembly lines and be used for storage.

Since the land for the new site is still classified as agricultural, the company is working closely with the local municipality to expedite changes to the municipal detailed spatial plan. They aim to have the necessary documents by the end of the year so they can begin preparing for building permits. The goal is to start construction by mid-2025, with production in the new facilities set to begin by 2027.