The De'Longhi (DeLonghi) Group owes its success to constant expansion and diversification of business sectors with products that are highly innovative in their concept and design including top quality espresso machines and coffee makers.
Founded one hundred years ago as a craftsman's workshop, it became a small company in the 1950's, while still remaining chiefly a supplier of components for heating systems for other companies.
The 1970's marked its turnaround: the company began to launch its own brand name products on the market. The portable electric radiator was the first product launched in 1975, belonging to the family of electric domestic heating appliances. From this time onward, the production widens and each product is a success. Starting from portable radiators, a complete range of heating appliances is created, an extremely rich range constructed with strict quality criteria meeting the most severe international safety standards.
Functional and innovative appliances that have enabled the company to position itself in the forefront of European markets and beyond: in fact, 1980 marked its entrance onto the US market. In 1985, De'Longhi made the debut on the household appliance scene with 'Sfornatutto': innovation, productive quality and attention to the consumers' needs heralded the immediate success of the product and the start of the company's diversification. In 1986 De'Longhi created 'Pinguino', inventing a portable, ready-to-use air conditioner for homes around the globe: in no time at all, 'Pinguino' became synonymous with home air conditioning.
In 1987 the company created 'Friggimeglio', which still is the only deep fryer with a rotating basket that saves on half the oil Diversification and the constant increase in the product assortment were keys to De'Longhi growth on local markets and the significant increase in the exports. Exponential growth that has enabled De' Longhi to initiate its acquisition programme of other companies operating in various household appliance sectors: heating ' Supercalor in 1979; free-standing cookers, built-in ovens and tops ' Elba in 1986; steel, water-circulating heating units for central heating systems ' Radel in 1986; air conditioning ' Ariagel in 1987; floor care appliances' Vetrella in 1989; ironing systems and appliances for food preparation ' Simac Micromax in 1995.
In 1994, Climaveneta became part of the Group, the company is specialised in refrigeration and air-conditioning units for chilled water production for industrial and civil complex use and offered the De' Longhi Group the opportunity to strengthen its position ' from the technological, product and sales points of view - in the whole air-conditioning sector. At the same time, the De' Longhi company began to open subsidiaries in the primary European and non-European countries: this expansion resulted in De'Longhi America (1988), De'Longhi France (1990), De'Longhi Nederland (1993), De'Longhi Deutschland and De'Longhi Japan ' in addition to a representation office in Moscow (1995) and one in Shanghai (1996); De'Longhi CDN_Eng (1997); and a representation office in Belgium (1999).
The 1990's were marked by the continuous expansion of the household cooking appliance range and the strengthening of other product lines, one of the most significant of which is the floor care appliance range, espresso machines and coffee makers. Portable air-conditioner 'Pinguino' is flanked by a new product line: the wall mounted air-conditioner. The air conditioning and air treatment sectors were further specialised with the insertion of 'AriaDry' dehumidifiers, air purifiers, and humidifiers.
At the beginning of 2001, the expansion of the De' Longhi Group was further accelerated by the acquisition of the Kenwood Group, important international brand specialised in appliances for food preparation and processing ' as well as in floor care and ironing appliances through the Ariete brand - thereby strengthening its range and international presence and its Italian and British leadership in the kitchen appliance market. Today, DeLonghi is represented in Canada from coast to coast with numerous service centres.
