Zanussi
Zanussi was an Italian producer of home appliances that in 1984 was bought by Electrolux [1]. The company can be traced to 1858, when it produced terracotta heaters under the brand of "Becchi".
Zanussi is a leading brand for domestic kitchen appliances in Europe. Exported from Italy since 1946, Zanussi is widely recognized for its innovative products and distinctive modern design.
History
The Zanussi Company began as the small workshop of Antonio Zanussi in 1916. The enterprising 26-year-old son of a blacksmith in Pordenone in Northeastern Italy began the business by making home stoves and wood-burning ovens.
In the early 1970’s Zanussi sold in the UK (and for some time after) under the “Zoppas” brand name which had been acquired as well as Zanussi making it the second largest Italian appliance maker. They also produced washing machines Hotpoint for Hotpoint at this time which were very reliable and highly rated by users and engineers.
In the late 1970’s and into the early 1980’s the company had a range of washing machines which used an induction motor with a clutch pulley system. Again this range proved extremely popular and very reliable.
During this period Zanussi Professional, the catering range of appliances for commercial use, became a separate division in its own right.
In the early 1980’s Zanussi launched the Jetsystem washing machine range to great acclaim whilst at the same time running the “Appliance Of Science” advertising campaign which is acknowledged as one of the most successful marketing campaigns of all time, in fact still remembered by many today. This gave the brand the impression of being forward thinking and innovative.
Zanussi has recently been rebranded as Zanussi-Electrolux in line with many other Electrolux brand names. Since that time many Zanussi appliances share common components and parts with the rest of the Electrolux range, primarily Electrolux, Tricity Bendix and AEG although it is worth noting that the “John Lewis” branded machines sold by the John Lewis Partnership in the UK are effectively rebranded Zanussi appliances.
In the late 1980’s Zanussi launched the split tank design known as the “Nexus Tub” design which endures to this day with little change. The tub, base and certain other parts are made from a plastic material known as “Carboran” which can be re-used several times if recycled. To this day neither Zanussi or Electrolux has provided any way to return this material for recycling purposes.
Retail Prices
Zanussi was originally marketed in the UK as very competitively priced with prices rising in line with the appliances rising as the marketing took hold and the popularity grew. Generally the Zanussi brand is regarded by most as a “mid-market” brand on a par with Hotpoint, Hoover and Bosch in the UK.
However in recent times there has been a noticeable increase in lower priced products bearing the Zanussi name.
Zanussi never really cracked the built in or integrated market with the mainstay of its products being the freestanding range.
Aftersales Service
Up until the end of the 1980’s Zanussi service was run from Slough and was a network of independent repairers who gave an unparalleled service level. It is generally acknowledged within the industry that this service network was the best that there has ever been in the UK.
In the early 1990’s Electrolux instigated amalgamating all its UK brands under one service entity which led to the demise of quite a few of the original Zanussi network ,thereby making a u-turn impossible. This entity was split, dependent on region, between the Zanussi service agents and the local Electrolux Service Centre. In general those in a high population density area where given to the Electrolux employed centres. Tricity Bendix, Electrolux and AEG as well as Zanussi were all to be serviced by the one network.
This was changed in the late 1990's and early 2000's as Electrolux sold or gave away the regional service centres, generally to the existing management or to area managers to run as independent businesses as the poor service had adversely affected sales whilst service was under Electrolux’s control.
This service network was rebranded and became Service Force which still exists today but is, once again, all operated by independent service companies who repair and supply spare parts for all of the brands.