The world was changing, Italy was getting ready for rebuilding, for growing...

It was in 1945 that the Model 50 first saw the light of day in the workshops of Eden Fumagalli at Monza, famous for the manufacture of precision instruments. It was one of the earliest miracles of domestic well-being: the first all-Italian washing machine. A product of Eden Fumagalli's extraordinary talent, the new machine officially launched at the Milan Fair of 1946.

The Candy brand name came into being. Since then its progress has been marked by extraordinary success. The founder's sons, Enzo, Niso and Peppino Fumagalli started washing machine production, making them the centre and the strength of their manufacturing activity. Unstoppable, in 1954 Candy made a decisive move in washing traditions: the birth of the Bi-Matic, the first semi-automatic washing machine with a spinner. Candy opened its first production plant abroad, in France. Just six years later, the washing machine became completely automatic: Candy raced ahead on the road of innovation.

While the washing machine was being refined, enriched and "learning" to save water and energy, the Stipomatic, the first Candy dishwasher, was launched. Candy had already progressed beyond washing machines... Niso Fumagalli, the originator of most of the patents, was awarded an honorary degree in engineering by the University of Genoa. In the 70s an important new phase started for Candy: that of acquiring other Italian companies, starting with La Sovrana of Parma, a historic brand name in the cooking sector and Kelvinator Italia, internationally famous for its refrigerators and freezers. Candy also drew up an agreement with Kelvinator America to produce and market domestic products with the American name all over the world.

There was another important advance in the 80s: the international expansion of Candy and the further acquisition of prestigious European companies.

A brief rundown:

1980.Candy acquires Kelvinator UK and its factory at Bromborough, Wirral, England.

1985.Two successful Italian brand names join the Candy Group: Zerowatt, manufacturers of washing machines and tumble dryers, and Gasfire, specialists in built-in cookers.

1987. Candy acquires Rosières, one of the most prestigious French companies in the manufacture of built-in cookers.

1992. Candy acquires Mayc, an important Spanish company producing top loading washing machines under the Otsein brand name.

1993. Candy acquires Iberna, refrigeration specialists.

1995. Candy acquires Hoover European Appliance Group, European leader in vacuum cleaners with it three production plants in Wales, Scotland and Portugal.

2004. Production innovation never stops: launch of the new Aquamatic washing machine range and the highly innovative Biocold Futura refrigerators by Candy.

Hoover unveils the Top Vision and 7.5 kg Nextra washing machines. The leading new product in the floorcare range is The One.

The new representative office in China opens in Shangai.

Total sales are up to € 945 million. Overall production amounts to 5.6 million units.

2005. Sixtieth anniversary of the presentation of the first Candy washing machine, the Model 50. New milestones in product innovation: the new range of Candy Activa washing machines is the result of 60-year experience, delivering advanced performances and paying attention to the highest energy efficiency. The new wash-dryer models handle 5+5 kg of laundry.

Hoover enters the built-in market: three new collections are distributed through the retail and kitchen studio channels only. The Vapormate steam cleaners expand the range of floorcare products.

Acquisition of the Vesta company, based in Kirov, Russia, manufacturer of the Vyatka washing machines. Through the updating of production processes and product range, the Group offers its three brands to Russian users: Vyatka, Candy, Hoover, with complementary and differentiated market positioning.

The Podborany (Czech Republic) plant doubles the size and becomes the Group's only manufacturing facility of refrigerators and freezers. Despite the challenging market and economic scenario, the Group records further growth: total sales are up to € 1 billion and production volumes top 6 million units.

Candy now has plants all over the world: China, Turkey, Ivory Coast, Syria, Nigeria, Egypt, Russia...

Today, Candy, strengthened by its long and comprehensive experience in the domestic appliance sector, plays a leading role in the international field. It is in the forefront of new technological developments, always attentive to the needs of the modern consumer and sensitive to the needs of a new family lifestyle whose priorities are relationships, the freedom to develop them and the time to nurture them.

Repair Service: 020 8689 2265