Asko Cylinda

Industry Domestic appliances, commercial appliances
Founded Vara, Sweden (1950 (1950))
Headquarters Sweden
Area served
 Worldwide
Products
  • Dishwashers
  • Ovens
  • Cooktops
  • Refrigerators
  • Washing machines
  • Dryers
Parent Gorenje
Website asko.com

Asko Appliances AB is a Swedish company producing household appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines. It is based in Jung in Vara Municipality in Västergötland. The products continue to be sold in Sweden under the brand ASKO, and are exported under the same name.[1] In North America Asko only imports dishwashers and laundry. Asko is upscale and competes against Bosch, Miele, SMEG, Viking Range, Fulgor and Kitchen Aid.

History

The company was established in 1950 by Karl-Erik Andersson, whose first invention was a washing machine. The company started producing a fully automatic front-loading washing machine and a compact dishwasher in 1965, and started exporting their products in 1967. The original name was Junga Verkstäder, but after having been acquired by Asea in 1978, the name was changed to Asea Cylinda, later becoming ABB Cylinda after the merger of Asea with the Swiss Brown Boveri Corporation to form ABB. In 1984, they introduced the washing machines as we know of today: no springs, four shock absorbers and a door that directly connects to the outer drum, the latter being a unique design for domestic front loaders. The top loaders (only sold in Europe) also have four shock absorbers and no springs. The company was acquired by Finnish furniture manufacturer Asko (founded by Aukusti Heikki Asko-Avonius) in 1988. The name was also changed to Asko ASEA. Somewhere around 1992, ASEA was dropped from the name and it became Asko. Asko Appliances was acquired by the Italian Antonio Merloni Group in 2000.[2]

With the acquisition of Asko Appliances the ownership of the Cylinda brand was kept within the corporate group of Asea, but in 1999 the name was changed from Asea Skandia to Elektroskandia. In 2008 Elektroskandia was acquired by the international company Sonepar. In July 2010 Asko Appliances was acquired by Slovenian Gorenje Group.[3][4] Gorenje transferred production of all Asko appliances from Sweden to Slovenia in 2013.[5]

Cylinda is still owned by Elektroskandia Sverige AB.

Notes

  1. ↑ and the websites, for instance, of ASKO North America Archived September 7, 2006, at the Wayback Machine., Asko Netherlands, and Asko Australia.
  2. ↑ History based on "The ASKO story Archived September 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine."; "Antonio Merloni: Past and present Archived October 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine." (official corporate history pages).
  3. ↑ "Gorenje acquiring Swedish top-level white goods producer". ASKO. 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on August 21, 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Slovene appliance maker Gorenje buys Sweden's Asko". Reuters. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  5. ↑ http://applianceadvisor.com/asko-fires-all-swedish-employees6500/1207


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