Kaldewei

History

The company's history began in 1918, when it was first set up by Franz Kaldewei. At first it provided raw goods for the enamelling industry, such as laundry tubs and frying pans; later, milk churns and dairy equipment were added to its product range.

In 1928 Franz's son Heinrich Kaldewei joined the board of management and actively encouraged the company to produce what would be Kaldewei's first steel bathtub; manufacture commenced in 1934. In those days, bathtubs were made of several parts that were welded together. In 1958 Kaldewei produced the world's first "seamless" bathtub, which was made from a single metal sheet with no welding seams. Within a decade, these seamless drawn steel bathtubs had superseded the cast iron tubs that had dominated the market until then.

Franz Dieter Kaldewei, who has been running the company since 1973, has made it into Europe's most progressive bathtub manufacturer with the world's biggest capacities and highest quality standards. With a material thickness of 3.5 millimetres, Kaldewei has set new standards for quality. Kaldewei's steel enamel with a easy-clean finish is a patented surface finish that is already a standard feature on many bathtubs and shower trays.

Design Progress

Kaldewei has grown from being a manufacturer of traditional bathtubs and shower trays into a system provider with complete solutions for everything to do with the subject of bathing, showering, health and well-being.

Through its collaboration with leading European designers, the name Kaldewei is associated with quality designs in everything to do with the bathroom. The renowned Milan design studio "Sottsass Associati" is responsible for most of the products in Kaldewei's high-quality "Premium Line". Other successful models were created in the studios of "Phoenix Design" (Stuttgart/Tokyo). Both design studios have partnership links with the company and make sure that Kaldewei bathtubs and shower trays last for at least 30 years, not only the highly-resistant Kaldewei steel enamel 3.5 mm but also the shapes and styles. The best proof of this are the countless design awards that Kaldewei designs have received in recent years.