A WHITE goods maker has refused to rule out expansion into further household appliances to complement a thriving washing machine venture, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Ebac could introduce tumble dryers to its bustling production lines after strong demand for its washers.

The company is the only UK-based washing machine manufacturer and has capacity to make 200,000 every year at its plant in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

However, Tony Hird, sales and marketing director, told the Echo that the business’ “vision and determination”, instilled by founder and chairman John Elliott, mean it could branch into other areas.

Mr Hird confirmed such a move could include tumble dryers, revealing a number of washing machine customers have already enquired about their potential.

He admitted any work is still at the exploratory stage, but said the appliance would be a logical step in the evolution of Ebac, which made its name in the dehumidifier and watercooler markets before starting its washing machine odyssey last year.

He said: “The washers are doing what they say on the tin, if you like.

“People are happy with the quality and their clothes that are being washed; the word is starting to spread.

“We were always going to get some people who bought the product but the test was to sustain the run rate.

“The Made in Britain flag has proved a lot stronger than we originally anticipated.

“Whether that is something to do with what is happening in the world right now or not, there is definitely an appetite for a British-made washing machine; they just seem to be capturing peoples’ imaginations.

“However, we never take our eye off the ball on quality because that is first and foremost in everything we make.

“Why wouldn’t we go into tumble dryers and other appliances?

“Tumble dryers are probably the next obvious one and we are asked a lot about them.

“It would be the next logical progression, but we are going to do things in a controlled way.”

Although reluctant to divulge exact numbers of washer sales, Mr Hird said they have been “better than what we anticipated”, revealing the business is taking on sales and marketing staff to increase its reach across the UK.

Ebac is working with independent retailers to sell its washers, with dealers stretching from Whitby to Whitehaven, while it also has a deal with Newcastle’s Fenwick. However, Mr Hird said bosses were committed to extending that network across the whole of the country after being buoyed by the initial response.

He added: “We chose the independent retailers because we feel we have good links with the local sellers and they are all good community businesses.

“We are bringing more and more retailers on board and have taken on another three this year so far.

“They are finding demand product and the feedback is extremely positive.

“We’ve had some great encouragement from them.

“These are guys who have been in the industry for 20 and 30 years and seen washing machines come and go and they are very positive about the product.

“Our plan is to have full coverage across the whole of the UK.”

Ebac’s status as the only UK-based washing machine maker fills a gap created when Indesit took production of Hotpoint machines to Italy.

However, the Aycliffe business is no stranger to entering new markets.

It previously bought the collapsed Scottish Highlandsbased Icetech Freezers operation, moving production of its chest freezer range, now known as Norfrost by Ebac, to the North- East.

That project saw the company appear on national television, with former CBI director general Lord Digby Jones visiting Ebac’s factory for his BBC Two show, Digby Jones: The New Troubleshooter.