By James Wells
SYDNEY: Housewares International managing director, Joe Hersch, has responded to rumours published today that the Swedish appliance manufacturer Electrolux is looking to buy the parent company of Breville and Kambrook.
According to an article published in the Australian Financial Review, Electrolux "is said to be the keenest party looking at buying Housewares International".
Hersch told Current.com.au that "there is a lot of speculation about the interest in Breville and I am not in a position to make any further comment on the number of unsolicited approaches or who they have been from".
Hersch confirmed it was not Housewares International that leaked the news of the possible Electrolux acquisition to the newspaper.
"The board has made it pretty clear that the business isn’t for sale – at the moment it is business as usual."
A representative for Electrolux Home Products managing director, Trevor Carroll and Electrolux Floorcare and Small Appliances managing director, John Mahar, told Current.com.au: "Electrolux has a global policy of not commenting on speculation, which is what this story is".