Smeg (appliances)


Smeg is an Italian home appliance manufacturer. They manufacture one of the most recognisable fridges available, that have been described as timeless icons of style and innovation.
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History

Founded in 1948 by Vittorio Bertazzoni as an enamelling and metalworking company, the company preserves the memory of its original purpose and location in the name acronymised as Smeg, Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla.
During the 1950s, the company’s metalworking background was accompanied by the production of its first cooking appliances. In 1955, the company presented "Elizabeth", one of the first gas stoves equipped with automatic ignition, a safety valve in the oven and a cooking programmer.
In the 1960s, Smeg introduced its first washing machine, the Leda, and then the large 60 cm Niagara dishwasher, with capacity for 14 place settings.
In 1971, the company began production of built-in hobs and ovens.

Other activities

Smeg started in the residential sector, and later entered the commercial market. Smeg Foodservice manufactures appliances for the 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 four factories located in Northern Italy, each specialising in a specific type of appliance. Smeg has subsidiaries worldwide, overseas offices and an extensive sales network. Smeg has developed products in collaboration with architects and designers including Guido Canali, Mario Bellini, Renzo Piano, Marc Newson and deepdesign.
Production takes place in six plants in Italy and China. The subsidiary SMEG Deutschland GmbH is active in Germany. SMEG is represented worldwide with 16 branches, in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, South Africa, the USA, Australia, and Mozambique, as well as two representative offices in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

FAB 1950s-style appliances

In 1997, Smeg introduced refrigerators styled similarly to 1950s models. The refrigerators were available in several colours, with model names prefixed "FAB", and bearing the distinctive SMEG logo. The FAB line remained in production, with technically modern appliances with 1950s appearance. The FAB28 had deep curved doors and a large handle. Fridge-freezers were later introduced, with more colour options, and special editions, such as a Union Jack door. In 2014, small domestic appliances, such as toasters and kettles, were added to the FAB 50s range.

Awards