Indesit Company
Former Italian home-appliance manufacturer and distributor whose operations were absorbed into Whirlpool EMEA.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Indesit Company S.p.A. was an Italian manufacturer and distributor of household appliances based in Fabriano, in the province of Ancona. The business was established in 1975 as Merloni Elettrodomestici, a spin-off from Industrie Merloni under the leadership of Vittorio Merloni. It developed from a predominantly Italian appliance producer into one of Europe’s larger manufacturers of cooking, refrigeration, laundry and related domestic products. A decisive stage in its development came in 1987, when the publicly listed Merloni Elettrodomestici acquired Indesit, a Turin-founded appliance company that had become one of its principal Italian competitors. The acquired name became increasingly important outside Italy, and the group eventually adopted Indesit Company as its corporate name in 2005. The company also expanded through acquisitions and investments involving Philco Italy, Scholtès, STAR, Stinol, GDA and Sinudyne. These transactions broadened its geographic reach, product portfolio and brand ownership, particularly in the United Kingdom, France and Russia. The group managed several appliance brands, including Indesit, Ariston, Hotpoint-Ariston, Scholtès, Stinol and Termogamma. Its portfolio covered major domestic appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, cookers, ovens, hobs and kitchen ventilation products. In 2012 it also announced an entry into small domestic appliances and entered a supply arrangement with Waterlogic for advanced water-purification devices. Indesit’s manufacturing footprint included facilities in Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Russia and Turkey. The company reported approximately 16,000 employees and eight industrial sites in the period before its acquisition. Its expansion was accompanied by restructuring: plants in France, Wales and several Italian locations were closed or consolidated as the European appliance market became more competitive and demand weakened in certain categories. In 2014 Whirlpool agreed to acquire a 60 percent stake from the Merloni family for €758 million. Whirlpool subsequently completed control of the group, and Indesit was removed from the Milan stock exchange in December 2014. In 2016 Indesit Company was merged into Whirlpool Europe, which was renamed Whirlpool EMEA. Indesit therefore ceased to operate as an independent corporate group, although the Indesit name continued as an appliance brand within Whirlpool’s European portfolio. The historical company is also associated with public scrutiny after a police investigation in 2017 identified an Indesit-made Hotpoint FF175BP refrigerator-freezer as a possible source in the Grenfell Tower fire investigation; the appliance model had been discontinued before that investigation.
History
Indesit Company began in 1975 as Merloni Elettrodomestici, created by Vittorio Merloni as a separate business from Industrie Merloni. The company entered a difficult period in the early 1980s, but performance improved after Vittorio Merloni returned to management in 1984. Rising revenue and profits helped convince the Merloni family to pursue a public listing, which took place in 1987. That same year, Merloni acquired Indesit, an appliance maker founded in Turin in 1953 by Armando Campioni, Adelchi Candellero and Filippo Gatta. The acquisition strengthened Merloni’s position in Italy and gave it a better-known international brand. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the group expanded through acquisitions and minority investments. It acquired French manufacturer Scholtès in 1989, took a stake in STAR in 1995 and later acquired that company in full, and expanded its interests in Philco Italy and the Russian manufacturer Stinol. In 1990 the Marcegaglia Group acquired a minority holding in Merloni Elettrodomestici. The company’s international development accelerated in the 2000s. In 2000 it acquired Stinol and the remaining capital of Philco. In 2002 it acquired a 50 percent interest in GDA, the British appliance group associated with Hotpoint. The transaction received European Commission authorization and made Merloni one of Europe’s leading appliance producers while strengthening its position in the United Kingdom. The same year, the group entered consumer electronics by acquiring Sinudyne. Merloni Elettrodomestici adopted the Indesit Company name in 2005 because Indesit was the group’s most recognizable brand in many markets outside Italy. The group subsequently reorganized its portfolio, launching a new architecture in 2007 and bringing Hotpoint and Ariston together in the Hotpoint-Ariston identity. Its portfolio also included Ariston, Scholtès, Stinol and Termogamma. Manufacturing and employment were spread across Italy and several foreign markets. The company operated sites in Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Russia and Turkey and employed about 16,000 people in the period described by its corporate history. Competitive pressure and declining demand led to restructuring. The Thionville site in France closed in 2005, the Kinmel Park plant in Wales closed in 2009, and the company announced further Italian site closures in 2010 while committing €120 million to consolidate its Italian industrial presence over the following three years. The business also pursued consumer marketing and adjacent product categories. It signed sponsorship agreements with Arsenal in 2011, announced a move into small domestic appliances in 2012 and entered a supply agreement with Waterlogic for water-purification equipment. In 2013 Marco Milani became chairman while continuing as chief executive. The company reported reaching the maximum A+ application level in its sustainability report referring to 2012. Whirlpool agreed in 2014 to buy 60 percent of Indesit from the Merloni family for €758 million. Following the transaction, Indesit was delisted from Borsa Italiana on 3 December 2014. In 2016 Indesit Company merged with Whirlpool Europe, which was renamed Whirlpool EMEA. The independent corporate entity consequently ended, although Indesit and related appliance brands remained part of Whirlpool’s European brand and product structure. In 2017 a police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire examined an Indesit-manufactured Hotpoint FF175BP refrigerator-freezer as a possible ignition source; the model had been produced between 2006 and 2009 and was no longer in production.
- 2016
Merger into Whirlpool EMEA
[1]Indesit Company merges with Whirlpool Europe, which adopts the Whirlpool EMEA name.
- 2014
Whirlpool acquires control
[1]Whirlpool agrees to acquire a 60 percent stake in Indesit from the Merloni family for €758 million.
- 2010
Italian industrial restructuring
[1]Indesit announces €120 million of investment in Italy over 2010–2012 alongside two Italian plant closures.
- 2009
Closure of Kinmel Park plant
[1]The company closes its appliance factory at Kinmel Park in Bodelwyddan, Wales.
- 2007
Hotpoint-Ariston brand architecture
[1]Hotpoint and Ariston are combined under a revised Hotpoint-Ariston identity in the group’s brand system.
- 2005
Corporate renaming
[1]Merloni Elettrodomestici changes its name to Indesit Company.
- 2002
Entry into Hotpoint and consumer electronics
[1]Merloni acquires half of GDA, associated with Hotpoint, and buys Sinudyne to enter consumer electronics.
- 2000
Philco and Stinol expansion
[1]The company takes full control of Philco Italy and acquires Stinol, a leading Russian appliance producer.
- 1989
Scholtès acquisition
[1]The group acquires French appliance manufacturer Scholtès.
- 1987
Public listing and Indesit acquisition
[1]Merloni Elettrodomestici becomes publicly listed and acquires Indesit, a major Italian competitor.
Products and positioning
Mass-market and mid-market European household appliances, supported by a multi-brand strategy spanning value-oriented laundry and kitchen products, established national brands and selected premium offerings.
Garment care
Indesit laundry appliances
The Indesit brand was strongly associated with practical household laundry equipment, including washing machines, tumble dryers and washer-dryers. These products served the mainstream European market and formed a central part of the group’s original appliance portfolio.
Major domestic appliances
Indesit kitchen and refrigeration appliances
The portfolio included refrigerators, freezers, cookers, ovens, hobs, dishwashers and kitchen ventilation products. The range supported Indesit Company’s multi-category strategy and its distribution across European national markets.
Major domestic appliances · 2007
Hotpoint and Hotpoint-Ariston
Hotpoint was brought into the group through the 2002 GDA transaction. From 2007, Hotpoint and Ariston were coordinated under a Hotpoint-Ariston brand architecture covering household appliances, particularly in European markets.
Premium kitchen appliances · 1989
Scholtès
Scholtès was a French appliance brand acquired by Merloni in 1989. It gave the group a more premium and design-oriented presence in kitchen appliances alongside its mass-market brands.
Refrigeration · 2000
Stinol
Stinol, acquired in 2000, was a Russian household-appliance manufacturer known primarily for refrigeration products. Its acquisition strengthened Indesit Company’s manufacturing and commercial position in Russia.
Small domestic appliances · 2012
Small domestic appliances
In 2012 the company announced an expansion beyond its traditional major-appliance categories into small domestic appliances, broadening its potential consumer offering.
Controversies
2017
Hotpoint FF175BP examined after Grenfell Tower fire
A police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire identified an Indesit-made Hotpoint FF175BP refrigerator-freezer, produced between 2006 and 2009, as a possible source of the fire. The model had already been discontinued. The cited material describes an investigative finding, not a final legal determination of corporate liability.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Arsenal sponsorship
United Kingdom · Europe
Indesit signed sponsorship agreements with Arsenal Football Club to increase consumer visibility for its appliance brands in the United Kingdom and wider European markets.
Outcome. The agreement supported brand exposure; the cited reference does not specify its financial terms or long-term outcome.
Brand decisions
2014
Sell control to WhirlpoolM&ABackground
Whirlpool sought to expand outside its United States home market, while Indesit remained a major appliance group in Italy, the United Kingdom and Russia.
Action taken
Whirlpool agreed to acquire a 60 percent stake from the Merloni family for €758 million.
Aftermath
Indesit was delisted from Borsa Italiana in December 2014 and later merged into Whirlpool EMEA in 2016.
Purchase price for 60 percent stake. €758 million (2014 transaction)
2010
Invest in Italy while consolidating productionStrategyBackground
The company was restructuring its European manufacturing network amid market pressure and changing demand.
Action taken
Indesit announced €120 million of investment in Italy over 2010–2012 while closing plants in Brembate and Refrontolo.
Aftermath
The decision aimed to consolidate the company’s Italian industrial base, although the cited material does not provide a complete employment or financial outcome.
Planned investment. €120 million planned (2010–2012)
2007
Create the Hotpoint-Ariston brand architectureStrategyBackground
The group owned both the Hotpoint and Ariston names after its expansion into the British appliance market and related product categories.
Action taken
Indesit Company reorganized its brand architecture and combined Hotpoint and Ariston under the Hotpoint-Ariston identity.
Aftermath
The move simplified the presentation of two established brands in relevant markets.
2005
Adopt the Indesit Company corporate nameStrategyBackground
Indesit had become the group’s best-known name outside Italy following the 1987 acquisition.
Action taken
Merloni Elettrodomestici changed its corporate name to Indesit Company.
Aftermath
The renaming aligned the corporate identity with the group’s most internationally recognizable appliance brand.
Recent events
- 2014
Whirlpool agrees to acquire control of Indesit[1]
M&A
Whirlpool agreed to pay €758 million for a 60 percent stake from the Merloni family, expanding its European appliance operations.
- 2014
Indesit is delisted from Borsa Italiana[1]
M&A · Other
Following Whirlpool’s acquisition, Indesit Company left the Milan stock exchange on 3 December 2014.
- 2013
Marco Milani becomes chairman and chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Marco Milani was appointed group chairman while retaining the chief executive role.
- 2012
Indesit expands into small domestic appliances[1]
Product launch
The group announced its entry into the small domestic-appliance market and also agreed to supply Waterlogic with advanced water-purification devices.
- 2011
Indesit signs Arsenal sponsorship agreement[1]
Campaign
Indesit entered sponsorship arrangements with Arsenal Football Club as part of its consumer-facing marketing activity.
- 2010
Indesit announces Italian investment and site closures[1]
Other
The company announced a planned €120 million investment in Italy over 2010–2012 alongside the closure of plants in Brembate and Refrontolo.
- 2009
Indesit closes Welsh appliance plant[1]
Other
The Kinmel Park facility in Bodelwyddan, Wales, was closed amid a continuing decline in the relevant market, affecting approximately 305 workers.
- 2007
Hotpoint and Ariston unified under new brand architecture[1]
Product generation
The group reorganized its brand structure and combined Hotpoint with Ariston to form Hotpoint-Ariston in many markets.
- 2005
Merloni adopts the Indesit Company name[1]
Other
Merloni Elettrodomestici changed its corporate name to Indesit Company, reflecting the international recognition of the Indesit brand.
- 1987
Merloni Elettrodomestici acquires Indesit[1]
M&A
The listed Merloni appliance group acquired Indesit, a major Italian rival with an international presence.
Sources2 sources
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