Smeg (appliances)
Smeg is an Italian home appliance manufacturer. History. Founded in 1948 by Vittorio Bertazzoni as an enameling and metalworking company, the Smeg company preserves the memory of the activity initially carried out in the acronym Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla. Over time, the brand has consolidated its reputation as a symbol for appliances renowned for their design aesthetic and use of technology. From the 1950s, the company’s metalworking background was accompanied by the production of its first cooking appliances. In 1956, the company presented “Elisabeth”, one of the first gas cookers equipped with automatic ignition, safety valve in  the oven and cooking programmer. In the sixties, Smeg introduced its first ever washing machine, the ‘Leda’, and then developed this specialism further, when in 1970 Smeg introduced a world premiere: the 60 cm Niagara dishwasher, known for its unprecedented load capacity of 14 place settings. In 1971, the company began the production of built-in hobs and ovens, products by which the company has built its history. Other activities. Having started in the residential sector, Smeg later entered the commercial market. Smeg Food Service 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 based 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 a product collection in collaboration with architects and designers, including Guido Canali (who also designed the company headquarters in Guastalla), Mario Bellini, Renzo Piano, Marc Newson and deepdesign. FAB retro-style appliances. In 1997, Smeg released their retro-style refrigerators. Produced in several 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. In 2014, Smeg extended the FAB 50s style range further, with a collection of small domestic appliances such as toasters and kettles.