Smeg (appliances)
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| 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.
SMEG was founded by Vittorio Bertazzoni in 1948 as Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla (metal enamelling factory) in the village of Guastalla, Reggio Emilia, Italy.[1] The company is still in the private ownership of the Bertazzoni family, with Roberto Bertazzoni the current chairman and CEO. The company remains headquartered in Guastalla.[2]
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[edit] FAB Appliances
They are best known for their 1950s-style "retro" refrigerators (the FAB range) that have curved corners and come in a variety of non-traditional colors (for example pastel blue, lime green, orange, yellow and pink) and patterns (including striped, Union Jack and various other themed versions). The FAB range has now extended to cover dishwashers, washing machines and even (in the UK) flueless gas fires.
More recently they have expanded their product range to include induction hobs, integrated washing machines and washer dryers. In addition, they scored a hit with sales on the “Opera” range of freestanding range cookers, such as the A1, which has almost become a style icon, much like the famed FAB28 fridge and its derivatives. These products, along with style-led design in other areas, has led to SMEG being regardedby consumers and the media as leading the industry in design and aesthetics.
[edit] In the media
SMEG's status has become almost iconic and is much seen on both the large and small screen. FAB fridges and fridge freezers can be seen in V for Vendetta and EastEnders and even Wallace and Gromit have a 'SMUG'. Jamie Oliver regularly cooks on an A2 "Opera" range cooker; indeed SMEG appliances are regularly seen on cooking programmes in general. Some recent TV adverts have also seen versions of the FAB machines with their badges removed. A recent channel 4 advert features a red FAB10 fridge (with the name SMEG removed) on a boat floating along a canal in Amsterdam flanked by two happy Grolsch drinkers. SMEG personally sponsored Gilles Villeneuve for his drive in for the Ferrari F1 team in the early 80's.
It has no direct link to the fictional profanity used by the crew in Red Dwarf of the same spelling.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website
SMEG UK website
Smeg Service and Spares UK website- 50's style Retro Appliances website
- SMEG Fridges and Fridge Freezers website
