| Miele, the German domestic appliance
manufacturer, has been in the UK{{U}} (21) {{/U}}thirty years. The company started{{U}} (22) {{/U}}a small office in central London, a staff of five and a turnover{{U}} (23) {{/U}}the first 16 months of ￡53,000. Today it has a modern headquarters at Abingdon, near Oxford, employs about 200 people and has a turnover of￡18 million. The British company,{{U}} (24) {{/U}}the other overseas subsidiaries, is a sales operation. Aangdon is an ideal town{{U}} (25) {{/U}}the UK headquarters. It is very central as a distribution point and only five miles north{{U}} (26) {{/U}}the "inland port" of Milton. The Miele group employs 13,500 people worldwide.{{U}} (27) {{/U}}it is still a family concern. "There is regular contact{{U}} (28) {{/U}}headquarters in Gutersloh, Germany," says Herr Wedekind, chief executive of the British subsidiary. The group sells{{U}} (29) {{/U}}products to up-market customers in shops like Harrods and advertises in publications like The Sunday Times magazine. "We sell our products to people{{U}} (30) {{/U}}want quality, want the best, good after-sale service and trouble-free appliances," says Herr Wedekind. |