DOWNDRAFT HAS EXPLODED

We meet him at the PowerUp MDA training fair in the last week of March, where he is, among other things, demonstrating the Cyclone hob.

– This is a new model with top specifications, a downdraft extractor, a matt finish and a seven-year warranty. Since we know we have some really strong products that work, a seven-year warranty is a strong sales argument, Dennis Morild tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

According to Morild, downdraft extractors have existed on the market for more than 25 years, but their popularity has increased sharply over the past five years, and he describes the growth in the past two years as explosive.

– Now everyone offers downdraft solutions in many variants. That intensifies the competition, because it is not so much about design. All the products are a black hob with a grille in the middle, so it is important to differentiate yourself on the specifications, says Morild.

Scratch-resistant, not scratch-free

– How important was it for Thermex to launch a matt hob now?

– It is one of the trends that suddenly you have to have matt glass. The industry has become a bit like the fashion industry, with something new happening all the time, and everyone following each other, says Morild.

He points out that matt glass is also making its way into other product categories, and stresses that Thermex communicates honestly about the products’ characteristics.

– We are very keen to say that it is not scratch-free, but scratch-resistant. That means scratches may occur. The figures we get from the supplier are that they are around ten times stronger than a standard glass hob, and we are continuing with this message. Scratches are usually caused by deposits from cookware, and the correct cleaning agent is therefore crucial, says Morild.

Launching white goods

Morild reveals that Thermex is now launching white goods under its own brand.

– The first products will arrive towards the end of summer, and include washing machines, refrigerators, freezers and fridge-freezers. The reception from the industry has been very good, says Morild.

He says Thermex is strongly established in Denmark, and explains that work is under way to increase the brand value in Sweden, Norway and Finland as well.

– The collaboration with Power is an important factor in this, with many products in their central range, says Morild.

He describes the PowerUp training fair as very important in this process.

– Here we meet 500 store sales staff from Power over four days. For Thermex, this has become a key meeting place with the retail channel. Since we do not have the same staffing capacity, we do not have the same opportunity to visit all the stores as we could in the old days, says Morild.

E-learning replaces visits

Thermex has its own marketing department at its head office in Denmark, and its work with video and e-learning is growing. Morild points out that customers increasingly prefer digital forms of meeting, because they do not have time for physical visits.

– The old salespeople who used to come round and explain things will soon be history.

Thermex was founded in Denmark in 1958 as a family business. Today, the company is owned by three siblings, whose father started the business.