More than two years after the integration of WMF in the Groupe SEB, a strategic plan has been defined to strengthen the brand competitiveness. In this period important progress has been achieved in the Professional coffee machine business, while the consumer business has been underperforming despite further investments and its return to sustainable profitability levels needs to be accelerated. To this end, WMF presented “Agenda 21”, a program aimed at rapidly improving the company’s competitiveness and overall performance. According to the company, following this strategic plan, the professional sector will continue its growth, thanks to new investments in R&D activities, the launch of new products as well as the production capacity expansion and logistic investments. In consumer business, instead, a correcting action plan will be actuated to resume growth, including initiatives already launched in Germany leveraging WMF’s brand image, faster international expansion and higher investments in innovation to optimize the product portfolio. Industrial competitiveness is also under attention and stainless steel cookware production will be transferred to other Groupe SEB sites in Europe by the end of 2020. The Groupe announced that the reorganization may impact out to 400 out of globally 6,200 jobs so that WMF will offer a wide range of options to employees.
