- Smeg (appliances)
Smeg is
Italy 's largest manufacturer of domestic kitchen appliances in private ownership .fact|date=January 2008SMEG was founded by Vittorio Bertazzoni in
1948 as "S"malterie "M"etallurgiche "E"miliane "G"uastalla (metal enamelling factory in the village ofGuastalla ,Reggio Emilia ). The company is still in the hands of the Bertazzoni family, currently under the direct control of Roberto Bertazzoni. Its headquarters remain a short distance from Guastalla.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 and pink) and patterns (including striped andUnion Jack 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 regarded as leading the industry in design and aesthetics.whoIn 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 andEastEnders and evenWallace and Grommit have a 'SMUG'!Jamie Oliver regularly cooks on an A2 "Opera" range cooker; indeed SMEG appliances are regularly seen on cooking programmes in general.Smeg recently released a limited edition
Mini version of the flagship FAB28 fridge. Other enthusiast models include their Union Jack and English Rose versions.Smeg also sell products to third parties, such as dishwashers to MFI which are in turn sold under the Diplomat brand name.
External links
* [http://www.smeg.com SMEG website]
* [http://www.smeguk.com SMEG UK website]
* [http://www.smeg-service.co.uk Smeg Service and Spares UK website]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
