Over 65 years of passion and business vision

SMEG was founded by Vittorio Bertazzoni from Guastalla, a town near Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, and is today one of the world's leading home appliance manufacturers. The Bertazzoni family's entrepreneurial history began way back in the 19th century. Starting out as blacksmiths, the Bertazzonis soon branched out into metal enamelling. The very first Bertazzoni cookers were put on show at the World Expo held in Milan in 1906. In 1948, in an era of economic growth and rapid urbanisation, Smeg was established as an enamelling plant working with metals. Today, the acronym of Smeg (Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla) continues to serve as a memory of the initial activity carried out by the company. In an era of radical change in social structures, families, lifestyles and living patterns, Smeg were inspired to develop products designed to meet new technological demands and revolutionise home living. Domestic appliances quickly became seen as status symbols to be proud of, permantently changing lifestyle habits and making housework easier and less time consuming.