Company:Smeg (appliances)

Smeg Group S.p.A.

Type	Private
Founded	1948
Headquarters	Guastalla, Italy
Key people	Vittorio Bertazzoni, founder. Roberto Bertazzoni, current Chairman and CEO
Products	Home appliances
Website	http://www.smeg.com

Smeg is an Italian manufacturer of upmarket domestic appliances. Vittorio Bertazzoni founded the company in 1948 in the town of Guastalla, Reggio Emilia, Italy. The name is an acronym for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla ("Emilian metallurgical enamel works of Guastalla").

The company remains in the private ownership of the Bertazzoni family with its headquarters still in Guastalla. Smeg is best known for its FAB range of 1950s-style, retro refrigerators that have curved corners and come in a variety of non-traditional colors and patterns. The company also manufactures dishwashers (freestanding - available in FAB style, semi-integrated and fully integrated), washing machines, ovens, microwaves, cooktops, freestanding cookers, rangehoods, refrigeration, wine cabinets, in-built coffee machines.

History

Vittorio Bertazzoni Snr founded Smeg in 1948. The company originally specialised in enamelling and metalwork. It soon began to produce innovative cooking appliances. "Elisabeth", launched in 1956, was one of the first gas ranges to feature automatic ignition, safety valves in the oven and a cooking programmer.

In the 1960s, the washing range was introduced with the production of the first Smeg dishwashers, which soon led to a world premiere in 1970: the first 60 cm wide dishwashers with capacity for 14 place settings. High performance hobs and ovens were then designed and produced from the mid 1970s and, during the 1990s, Smeg completed its product range with the introduction of distinctive sinks and hoods after buying Apell, an Italian manufacturer of extractor hoods, sinks and taps based in Ancona.

Other activities

Having established itself in the residential sector, Smeg later entered the commercial market. Smeg Food Service manufactures appliances for the professional hotel, restaurant and catering market and Smeg Instruments supplies disinfection equipment to hospitals and dental surgeries.

Business

The design and manufacture of Smeg appliances is concentrated in three factories based in Northern Italy, each specialising in a specific type of appliance. Excluding the United Kingdom, the company operates sixteen subsidiaries (France , Belgium, Spain , Germany , the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Russia , Ukraine , United States , South Africa , Denmark , Australia , Mozambique, Kazakhstan, Poland , Mexico), as well as two representative offices in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia with a network of distributors around the world.

Smeg has developed an extensive product collection in collaboration with architects and designers, including Guido Canali (who also designed the company headquarters in Guastalla), Mario Bellini, Renzo Piano and Marc Newson.

FAB retro-style appliances

In 1997, Smeg unveiled their range of retro-style refrigerators. Offered in five colours, the FAB28 bore the distinctive SMEG lettering, deep curved doors and a chunky handle evocative of the 1950s.

Fridge-freezer versions followed and colour options expanded to include pink, yellow, orange and lime plus special editions, including a Union Jack door. Dishwashers and washing machines in complementary styling and colours extended the retro range.

Awards

• 2007: Domotica award for the head office, given during Green Architecture week. In the same year, the architect, Guido Canali, was also invested with the Medaglia d’Oro all’architettura italiana by Triennale di Milano for the same design, while Smeg won the Dedalo e Minosse award.
• 2009: Wallpaper Design Award for Newson design oven, organised by Wallpaper magazine.
• 2010: Good Design Award granted by the Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies, for their FP610SG oven and the P755SBL hob from the innovative Newson product line.
• 2012: Good Design Award, for Linea range PV175CB hob.
• 2013: Good Design Award, for Linea range SFP140 oven and SMEG500 fridge.
• 2013: Smeg South Africa, Business Enterprise of the year
• 2014: Good Design Award, for Small Domestic Appliances - Stand Mixer SMF01 and Toaster TSF01, Dolce Stil Novo Hob, Wine Cooler and Victoria Range TRU90BL
• 2015 award for the Victoria TR4110 cooker and the 60cm oven, the kettle concept and the blender, and the LInea 45cm oven
• 2016 award for the 45cm wine collers, the sommelier drawer, the 60cm oven, the laminar flame hob with artistic grids and the mixed 90cm hob, all from the new Dolce Stil Novo range
• 2017 award for the Dolce Stil Novo blast chiller, the 60cm and 45cm oven from the Linea range, the 90cm free-standing Opera cooker with the new cavity. These products were accompanied by the HBF02 hand blender, the CJF01 citrus juicer and the ECF01 espresso coffee machine from the 50’s Style range.
• Smeg South Africa - Business Enterprise of the Year 2013: The First National Bank and the Italian-South African Chamber of Trade and Industries awarded a prestigious prize to Smeg South African subsidiary as recognition of entrepreneurial excellence.
• iF Design Award: In 2015, the stand mixer SMF01 and the toaster TSF01 have received the iF Design Award, one of the most coveted seal of excellence composed by an international high-profile jury.
• Which? Best Buy 2015: With a score of 77%, Smeg TSF02 jumps straight into Which? Best Buy list
• The toaster TSF01 have received the Red Dot Design Awards 2015. The toaster has met all the criteria of evaluation of the award jury, composed by international professionals experienced in design with various background.
• Designer Kitchen & Bathroom Awards 2015: the 50's style FAB fridge and the Linea 45cm ovens, have received the Design Awards for design and innovation.
• Red Dot Design Award 2016: the TR4110 Victoria cooker have received the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” for top design quality and ground-breaking design and the BLF01 50's style blender for the “Red Dot for high design quality”.
• iF Design Award 2017: the Portofino cooker and 45cm Dolce Stil Novo wine coolers have received the iF Design Award, one of the most coveted seal of excellence composed by an international high-profile jury.
• Red Dot Design Award 2017: the 50’s style espresso coffee machine and the citrus juicer, the CPF9GM Portofino cooker and the CVI618N Dolce Stil Novo wine cooler.
• Red Dot Design Award 2018: the SFP6102TVS Linea oven, the A1-9 free standing cooker and the SAB4604N Dolce Stil Novoblast chiller.

See also

• List of Italian companies

External links

• Smeg Worldwide