Why ASKO - Scandinavian Inspiration
Our journey
from relatively humble beginnings in a farming community in Sweden, to where we
are now, with our appliances found in millions of homes worldwide, is something
we're incredibly proud of. From one single washing machine, we've now
progressed to the stage where we provide a full range of appliances for both
kitchens and laundry. We always make sure that everything we produce displays
our love for design, using visual flair and a strong aesthetic to create
good-looking appliances for discerning customers. And we're driven to create appliances
that are really useful, as well as solutions that improve the health and
wellbeing of the people who use them.
We're also
committed to caring for the environment. Our closeness to and respect for the
Scandinavian natural landscape provides us with a constant source of
inspiration, and compels us to preserve it for the next generation. We're motivated
by the need to create the most environmentally friendly solutions possible, and
use our resources in the most compassionate ways we can. As a rule, our
machines are water and energy efficient, as well as being built to last longer for
real hard-wearing sustainability.
ASKO's
appliances are exported and distributed by sales companies in the Nordics, USA
and Australia, as well as 50 other markets worldwide.
History
ASKO's
story started in 1950, and was inspired by one young man's love for his mother.
It was his dream to build her a washing machine that would not only make her
life easier, but also give her more time to do the things she really cared
about.
We're inspired
by Scandinavian values: healthy living, fairness, care for people, functional
and minimalistic design, dedicated craftsmanship and environmental
responsibility. We want to reflect the values of care, honesty, reliability and
respect and combine them with a feeling for quality and respect for the
environment.
We are
driven by the passion to create products that can become a much-loved part of
your home, that are a joy to use, that take great care of you and your family,
and that can provide you with the inspiration, the opportunity and the time to
do the things you really enjoy.
Important Asko years
1918
Finnish carpenter Aukusti Asko-Avonius founded the ASKO furniture group.
1950
Karl-Erik Andersson produces his first washing machine in Vara, Sweden. Junga
Verkstäder is established.
1952 Our first
Finnish-produced household appliance – a refrigerator – is produced in Lahti,
Finland.
1953 A first
washer is produced in Lahti, Finland.
1957 Our first
cooker is produced in Lahti, Finland.
1958 Our first
cold iron is produced in Lahti, Finland.
1967 Our first
dishwasher is produced, and export starts from Vara, Sweden.
1972 Our first
built-in ovens are produced in Lahti, Finland.
1975 Our first
tumble dryer is produced in Vara, Sweden.
1985
Quattro construction for washers is developed.
2006 ASKO becomes
the first brand with a design-coordinated laundry care concept on the market.
2007 ASKO launches
Hidden Helpers as a part of the Laundry Care concept.
2008 ASKO
launches the Sense Series – our first design-coordinated cooking range.
2014 ASKO
Appliances AB moves its head office to Lidköping, Sweden.
2014 ASKO launches
the Pro Series – the company's first fully design-coordinated cooking range.
2015 The
Elements design-coordinated cooking range is launched.
2016 The
Craft design-coordinated cooking range is launched.
2017 Launch
of the Pro Home Laundry range.
2017 The ASKO
Pro Home Laundry concept is awarded the Red Dot Best of the Best prize.
Quality
At ASKO we
design and manufacture premium quality appliances which reflect our love for
form and function – and, in doing so, which exemplify classic, timeless
Scandinavian design. Ever since we began to produce washers in the early 1950s,
our goal has been to make premium quality products that will become cherished
parts of the home, meeting and exceeding your expectations for years to come.
In order to
make sure that the appliances take care of you as capably as possible, we need
to make sure that they work perfectly. So, we test all of our products before
they leave the factory – and any machine that fails to pass our comprehensive tests
won't get sold.
Today we
offer a full range of kitchen and laundry appliances, all of which meet the
highest demands when it comes to design, function, durability and environmental
awareness. They wash cleaner, use less water and energy, and last longer. And since
1995 we've also been certified to ISO 9001, which means that you can always
trust our products to be of the highest quality.
Scandinavian Design
One of the
hallmarks of Scandinavian design is a combination of the kind of functionality that
makes you want to use an item every day, with care for the environment, and
clean, easy-on-the-eye lines that harmonize with your home. At ASKO, we adore
this principle. We believe that carefully-designed products shouldn't just look
good: they should also increase your quality of life. And in order to set
ourselves apart in a market filled with cluttered, complex and voluptuous
designs, we aim for a soft, humanistic minimalism based on the principle of
quiet being the new loud.
The key
elements of Scandinavian design – understated elegance, high quality
craftsmanship and natural materials – are reflected in ASKO’s design language. And
since we design and manufacture household appliances, we're also committed to
making them as functional as possible. We want to make your life easier by giving
our appliances user-friendly interfaces and plenty of practical functions, and
by making them uncomplicated, long-lasting machines that will remain a joy to
use for years to come.
Environment
We love,
and are inspired by, the natural world. It's our duty to respect it.
And since
nature is on our doorstep, it's only natural that we do everything we can to preserve
and protect our environment. We're always trying to find the most
environmentally friendly solutions and make best use of resources while we're
making our products. We also try to minimize the environmental impact of all
our activities and products.
Our
factories are all certified in accordance with ISO 14001, meaning that our
processes and routines are all carried out in the most environmentally friendly
ways possible.
Environmental awards
All ASKO washers & dishwashers on the US market have earned the Energy star. This symbol helps consumers to identify products that saves energy and protects the environment.
Swan - well-known Nordic Eco Label: In 2007 we were proud to introduce the world’s first Swan labelled dishwasher in our range, side by side with our Swan labelled washing machine (also the world’s only one – so far).
FSC labelled paper: As an important part of our environmental work we have taken the natural choice to print our International brochures on FSC labelled paper.