In 1930, a vacuum cleaner caused a stir: the electric hand-held vacuum cleaner, whose motor, suction nozzle, and dust bag were arranged in a three-part housing, was an absolute novelty at the time – and the first Vorwerk vacuum cleaner to be granted a patent.
Brothers Carl and Adolf Vorwerk founded the company in Wuppertal in 1883. At the time it was still a carpet factory. Nowadays, carpets only account for a small part of the business: approximately 3% of the total turnover of €3.2 billion. The actual bestsellers among the products are the Kobold vacuum cleaner and the Thermomix food processor, which together make up the largest part of Vorwerk’s business – 63%. The rest is accounted for by akf Bank, the cosmetics line Jafra Cosmetics, and household appliance company Lux Asia Pacific, which also belong to the Vorwerk Group.
In addition to the innovative technology displayed by its products, the company is best known for its direct connection to customers. From the classic door-to-door direct sales of the early years to the modern omni-channel approach of today, in which direct sales and Vorwerk’s own shops and own online channels offer customers many points of contact. Today, more than 600,000 self-employed consultants work for Vorwerk and Jafra Cosmetics around the world, explaining the product benefits to customers.
What are these benefits? For example, versatility: the Thermomix offers twelve functions – from mixing, grinding, and chopping to steaming, weighing, and emulsifying. It can be used to prepare dishes from fresh ingredients in no time at all. Excellent energy efficiency and strong suction power are the hallmarks of the Kobold: the vacuum cleaner features an integrated anti-odor and hygiene microfilter, making it ideal for allergy sufferers.
The product range includes appliances for various applications – from hard floor cleaners to toy vacuum cleaners – along with matching accessories. The newest addition to the Kobold family is the Kobold EB370 Electric Brush, which cleans carpets thoroughly and gently with its rotating brush heads and switches off automatically if necessary.
To meet and maintain its high technical standards, Vorwerk attaches great importance to keeping its product research, development, and manufacturing in-house. Innovative technology and durability are its main premises, for which Thermomix and Kobold have already won many awards (e.g. from ETM Testmagazin, the LifeCare initiative, and Stiftung Warentest (robot vacuum cleaner)).
(Images: Vorwerk & Co. KG)
