Grundig put sustainability at the heart of its IFA 2018 announcements, showcasing a number of pollution-busting innovations.
These included a laundry range, already available to the market, made with recycled plastic bottles.
Grundig, owned by Turkish firm Arçelik, said that for every 200,000 washer-dryers produced, about 12 million 500ml plastic bottles would be used in the manufacturing process, which would also lower carbon emissions.
Making a play to stand out as a sustainability leader in the household appliance market, Grundig also unveiled a new microfibre-filtering technology for washing machines, which it said would filter out 99.9% of fabric microfibres and prevent them from leaking into our water resources.
In addition, it said by the end of this year, 65 tonnes of waste materials, including fishing nets and plastic scrap, would be used to improve their product range, starting immediately with ovens.
The recycled materials will be used in Grundig ovens to make parts like the oven display cover, cooling fan and cardholder.
Grundig said about 30 parts in the entire home appliances product range will be ready for serial production in 2019.
The Turkish appliance manufacturer also used its IFA press conference to introduce its latest appliance range to the market, jumping on the smart bandwagon with its connected Gourmet Chef Oven and FlexiSmart Induction hob.
Available in early 2019, Gourmet Chef owners will be able to monitor their cooking and control functionality via an integrated touch-screen or mobile app. It offers steam-cooking programs, which removes the need to use cooking oils and locks in vitamins better, according to Grundig.
The FlexiSmart hob has a touch-screen auto-cook menu for guidance on recipes.
Other products Grundig launched at IFA this year include an odour-reducing refrigerator range, which keeps food fresher for longer, a tumble dryer that replaces the drum with air-dry technology and a washing machine that has an additional fan and air heater to extract the humidity from wet clothes.
• Grundig’s also unveiled its first official product collaboration with brand ambassador Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura at IFA 2018. It is said to be the first time, the world-renown chef has worked with an appliance brand. The collection includes kitchen mixer, toaster, coffee machine, power blender and hand blender, which are all inscribed with Bottura’s signature. Grundig said the range was inspired by Bottura’s personality and obsession with quality.