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Geographic leadership
International development strategyEstablishmentsFocus on JapanFocus on China

The international deployment strategy undertaken nearly 30 years ago has enabled Groupe SEB to introduce its brands in more than 120 countries. Today, our global leadership is based on a multitude of local leadership positions established over the years. And we’re just as determined as ever, pushing back our boundaries every year so that our market encompasses the entire world.


Our global presence is the result of a patient, persistent commitment to penetrate markets of very fast developments in some countries and carefully targeted acquisitions to strengthen our geographic or strategic positions. In 2008, 79% of sales were generated outside France and 56% outside Western Europe.

We are therefore assertively pursuing our international expansion, with a country portfolio more and more "balanced" between mature and emerging markets.  The combination of solid positions in the former and rapid growth in the latter represents a real competitive advantage:


  The mature economies are primarily replacement markets which drive the emergence of new consumer trends and technological innovations, as well as the growing shift to the high-end and diversification in the business base
The emerging economies are mostly original equipment markets. They are fundamentally sources of medium to long-term growth, driven both by pent-up demand among the burgeoning middle class and by the development of modern retailing, which helps to stimulate demand and structure the markets.
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In practice, we generally enter a new market with two product families – cookware and irons. This makes it possible to build and anchor solid positions before gradually broadening the offering and gaining new market share. In addition to “global” concepts, we also have to offer product ranges aligned with local consumer needs and desires, while nurturing close-knit relationships with our retailer customers.

Our objective is to be a key player in all our markets and the benchmark in the small household equipment sector.

Organisation and operations


Implementation of the worldwide sales and marketing strategy is overseen by five Continental Divisions:
  • Western and Southern Europe, including France
  • Northern and Central Europe 
  • North America 
  • South America 
  • Eastern Europe, the CIS, Asia and other countries 

The Divisions manage 57 marketing companies around the world. Each one is responsible for developing the Group’s local presence, coordinating relations with the retailing channels and managing sales, margins, return on capital employed, working capital and other financial indicators in their region.

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