 | |
| Industry | Manufacturing and service |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1905 |
| Headquarters | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
Key people | Ross Heron (CEO Retired) Current CEO: Mustafa Soylu |
| 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 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:
- Jacobs (Durban) — manufactures freestanding stoves, built-in ovens and hobs, tumble dryers.
- Ezakheni (Ladysmith) — manufactures electric chest freezers and electric refrigerators.
- eMonti (East London) — manufactures electric refrigerators.
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] The Durban Falkirk Iron Company (DFI, now DEFY) moved the foundry from Jacobs to Newcastle, around 1987.[3] 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.[4][5]