Industry | Manufacturing and service |
---|---|
Founded | 1905 |
Headquarters | Durban , South Africa |
Key people | Ross Heron (CEO Retired) Current CEO: Evren Albaş |
Products | Home and major appliances |
R2,5 billion (2010) | |
Number of employees | 2,600 |
Parent | Arçelik Group |
Website | www.defy.co.za |
Defy Appliances is a South African white goods manufacturing company and is the largest manufacturer and distributor of major domestic appliances in southern Africa.[1] The company manufactures and develops a range of large appliances from gas stoves, refrigerators, washing machines and tumble dryers to continuous clean ovens and convection ovens.
It currently operates three factories:
Defy Appliances was founded in the 1905[2] in Wentworth, KwaZulu-Natal by John Skinner and Sir Benjamin Greenacre. The company manufactured its first product, electric stoves, in 1932.[1] In July 2011 the company was bought by Turkish based Arçelik for US$324-million as part of its plan to expand into emerging markets in Africa.[3]