Miele, among the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality household appliances, is celebrating 125 years in business. 

In fact, its history began on July 1, 1899, when technician Carl Miele Sr. and merchant Reinhard Zinkann founded the company Miele & Cie, marketing their first product: a milk centrifuge. From a small company with eleven employees in a former grain mill in the small town of Herzebrock, Miele has grown today into a successful high-tech multinational company with more than 22,000 employees in 49 countries and sales of 4.96 billion euros.

A pioneering spirit

From the centrifuge for milk, Miele moved on to the butter churn, and, in 1901, began production of its first washing machine: a large wooden tub with an internal cruiser, initially operated by a lever.

In the late 1920s, the Bielefeld branch, built in 1916, produced the first vacuum cleaners and, in 1929, Europe's first electric dishwasher. The company gradually focused on high-quality household appliances for kitchen, laundry, and floor care.

Milestone in strengthening the built-in kitchen appliance business is the acquisition in 1989 of kitchen appliance manufacturer Imperial, which as early as 1973 launched the world's first glass-ceramic cooktops in collaboration with glass-ceramic specialist Schott. The 1990s saw the introduction of world firsts such as the first non-pressure built-in steam oven.

Precursor in washing machines, dishwashers and smart home

Strongly innovative, the company introduced the Miele cutlery drawer for dishwashers, a revolutionary patent, in 1987; another patent is the Miele honeycomb basket in laundry care. In 1998, the company pioneered smart home appliances with InfoControl, which uses a compact radio receiver (pager) to signal the end of the washer and dryer cycle. Ten years later, it offers the first automatic hood control through the cooktop.

Today, Miele is leading the way in areas such as cooking using artificial intelligence and sustainable laundry and dishwashing.

Since its inception, the company has stood out for its commitment to environmental and climate protection, and today places a strong emphasis on energy efficiency and recyclability of appliances, as well as the use and production of renewable energy in its factories. This commitment has earned it the German Sustainability Award in 2014 and 2024.

After 125 years, Miele continues to testify to its great ability to adapt, improve and innovate, while maintaining a firm focus on the quality of its products.