Ariston Thermo

Ariston Thermo Group

Type	Private
Founded	1930
Headquarters	Fabriano, Italy
Key people	Francesco Merloni, Honorary Chairman Paolo Merloni, Chairman
Products	Thermal comfort
Revenue	€1.33 billion (2013)
Number of employees	6,600 (2013)
Website	aristonthermo.com

Ariston Thermo, founded in 1930, is the Italian company boasting the most extensive foreign presence in the thermal comfort sector, with over 87% of its turnover generated abroad. In 2013, the Group sold 7.2 million products in over 150 countries worldwide, amounting to a turnover of 1.33 billion Euro. It employs 6,600 people working in 45 companies, with 7 representative offices in 31 countries. .^[1] Among the leaders in three different market sectors (thermal comfort, burners and components), the Group offers a complete range of products, systems and services (boilers, water heaters, solar heating systems, heat pumps, climate control systems, burners, pre- and after-sales services, heating elements and thermostats), marketed mainly with the Ariston, Chaffoteaux, Elco, Racold, Cuenod, Ecoflam and Thermowatt brands.^[2]

History

The growth of Ariston Thermo stems from innovation and the desire to explore new trends and markets. In 1930, Aristide Merloni founded Industrie Merloni in the Marches and began producing scales. The production of electric water heaters dates back to 1960, with the appearance of the Ariston brand, which would propel the Group to leader status in this sector in Italy with the dawn of the 1970s.^[3]

Following the success of Ariston water heaters, in the 1980s the company decided to enter the space heating sector and started manufacturing boilers.

Constant growth in the Italian and international markets led the company to open its first branches in Eastern Europe and Asia during the 1990s. The company consolidated its standing in the water heating sector and went on to become one of the major players in the space heating sector, also thanks to the acquisition of Racold ^[4]– India's largest water heater manufacturer – and the opening of its first wholly owned plant in China.

The early 21st century was marked by a decisive dimensional leap for the company, with the acquisition in 2001 of several historical companies and brands in the heating and burner sectors, namely: Chaffoteaux, Elco, Cuenod and Rendamax.^[5]

The company's growth over the next decade continued steadily and also through further acquisitions: over the two-year period 2004-2005, new plants were inaugurated in Hanoi and St Petersburg, while the acquisition of Ecoflam was completed – the latter among Italy's leading companies for heating systems; in 2008, after the acquisition of Termogamma SA,^[6] specialised in the production of heat pumps, the company opened its European centre of excellence for solar heating systems in Italy. In 2009, the company – until then part of MTS Group – changed its name to Ariston Thermo and established its reputation as a world leader in the space and water heating sectors, with a complete range of products, systems and services.^[7] Regardless of the difficult global economic situation, Ariston Thermo continued to expand on the markets, and in 2011 acquired Cipag SA and Domotec AG, confirming its leader status in Switzerland for the production, distribution and maintenance of water heating systems.^[8]

In 2013, Ariston Thermo continued to pursue its growth strategy, both in mature markets and in emerging markets, by completing the acquisition of DhE – an Italian company specialising in heating elements for commercial and industrial applications – and setting up a joint venture for the production and commercialisation in Uzbekistan of high energy efficiency domestic heating systems.

In 2014, the company entered the South African market directly through the acquisition of Heat Tech Geysers – the country's second player for water heaters – and inaugurated a new plant in Vietnam, an advanced facility for the production of electric water heaters.^[9][10]

The figures

In 2013, the Group sold 7.2 million products in over 150 countries worldwide, amounting to a turnover of 1.33 billion Euro. It employs 6,600 people working in 45 companies, with 7 representative offices in 31 countries.^[1] A leader in three different market sectors (thermal comfort, burners and components), the Group offers a complete range of products, systems and services (boilers, water heaters, solar heating systems, heat pumps, climate control systems, burners, pre- and after-sales services, heating elements and thermostats), marketed mainly with the Ariston, Chaffoteaux, Elco, Racold, Cuenod, Ecoflam and Thermowatt brands. The Group's aim is to develop 80% of its business from high-efficiency solutions employing renewable energy sources, within 2020. In 2013, the 40% target was achieved.

Brands

• Ariston
• Elco Heating Solutions
• Chaffoteaux
• Racold
• ATAG
• Cuenod
• Ecoflam
• Thermowatt

See also

• Aerothermal
• Ariston
• Francesco Merloni
• Hotpoint
• Indesit Company
• Merloni
• Solar thermal energy

References

External links

• Official website