Convotherm celebrates 40th anniversary
Eglfing. In the beginning there was an idea: Professional chefs in commercial kitchens need specialized technology! With this in mind, Frank Dittmann and Werner Schwarzbäcker founded the Convotherm company on 1 July 1976. Since that day, the business has developed into a leading worldwide brand in the field of combi steamers by adopting a policy of consistent innovation and compliance with the highest quality standards. Chefs the world over know and appreciate Convotherm’s highly specialized combi steamers, which make it possible to prepare virtually any type of food quickly, gently and in first-class quality.
300 employees produce combi steamers in 250 different models at the company’s headquarters in the Upper Bavarian town of Eglfing. They are supplied with the distinctive red “C” logo on the door to customers on all 5 continents in nearly 100 countries of the world.
A 40-year history testifies to Convotherm’s impressive success story. Highlights have included patents right from the outset: For instance in 1982 a Convotherm combi steamer was the first in the world to be fitted with the energy-saving “closed system” that has now become legendary. The unique disappearing door was introduced in 1994 and in 2002, the CONVOClean system set a new benchmark for fully automatic cleaning.
Responsibility for the environment has been part and parcel of Convotherm’s value system since 1995. The first step involved ISO 9001 certification with an integrated environmental endorsement. The, in the year 2000, Convotherm was the first company in the sector to achieve certification according to the ISO 14001 environmental standard. And since 2012, the Eglfing site has been supplied with 100 percent green energy, saving approximately 1 million kg of CO2 annually. Certification according to the ISO 50001 energy management standard followed in 2015.
In 2004, the +3 appliance range was launched as the first series fitted with the Advanced Closed System (ACS) and the Crisp&Tasty moisture-removal feature. With the introduction of the “mini” series in 2006, Convotherm demonstrated once again that the company is ahead of the times. Featuring a footprint of just 0.31 square metres, the mini was the smallest combi steamer in the world. Strong demand drove the development of the “mini world” within a period of a mere 3 year, with compact combi steamers in various sizes and configurations.
A milestone was reached in 2007 with the “easyTouch” – the first full-touchscreen interface in a combi steamer worldwide and the the forerunner of an entire new generation of appliances.
The latest chapter in this success story is the Convotherm 4. It was distinguished with two design awards before it was even released, and having also won two subsequent awards it is now the combi steamer with the highest ever number of accolades. The Convotherm 4 impresses with its clear and intuitive design, the best cooking results, thanks to the further refined ACS+ closed system, the most flexible fully automatic cleaning system on the market and its exemplary level of energy efficiency.
As Convotherm has grown and expanded into international markets, there have also been some changes in ownership of the Convotherm name. A milestone was reached in 1998, when Convotherm became a subsidiary of Enodis plc, London. And since 2008, Convotherm has been a subsidiary of Manitowoc Foodservice, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional kitchen equipment, with over 24 brands.
The Convotherm brand symbolizes the company’s distinctive identity and stands for pioneering solutions with the claim: Convotherm – Your meal. Our mission.
It is based on the essence of the brand: passion … and includes three main customer benefits: true excellence real creativity and partnership in practice. The promise is: making customer satisfaction our core objective. This is the Convotherm mission.
The quality of our combi steamers is intended to inspire not only the head chef but also the chef’s team, the guests and the budget-setters, no matter where our appliances are used – in Michelin-starred restaurants or chain outlets, in the famous Munich Hofbräuhaus or any other business around the globe. Firmly rooted in this tradition, the company story is set to continue along the path of developing energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly appliances combined with optimum service and social commitment.
300 employees produce combi steamers in 250 different models at the company’s headquarters in the Upper Bavarian town of Eglfing. They are supplied with the distinctive red “C” logo on the door to customers on all 5 continents in nearly 100 countries of the world.
A 40-year history testifies to Convotherm’s impressive success story. Highlights have included patents right from the outset: For instance in 1982 a Convotherm combi steamer was the first in the world to be fitted with the energy-saving “closed system” that has now become legendary. The unique disappearing door was introduced in 1994 and in 2002, the CONVOClean system set a new benchmark for fully automatic cleaning.
Responsibility for the environment has been part and parcel of Convotherm’s value system since 1995. The first step involved ISO 9001 certification with an integrated environmental endorsement. The, in the year 2000, Convotherm was the first company in the sector to achieve certification according to the ISO 14001 environmental standard. And since 2012, the Eglfing site has been supplied with 100 percent green energy, saving approximately 1 million kg of CO2 annually. Certification according to the ISO 50001 energy management standard followed in 2015.
In 2004, the +3 appliance range was launched as the first series fitted with the Advanced Closed System (ACS) and the Crisp&Tasty moisture-removal feature. With the introduction of the “mini” series in 2006, Convotherm demonstrated once again that the company is ahead of the times. Featuring a footprint of just 0.31 square metres, the mini was the smallest combi steamer in the world. Strong demand drove the development of the “mini world” within a period of a mere 3 year, with compact combi steamers in various sizes and configurations.
A milestone was reached in 2007 with the “easyTouch” – the first full-touchscreen interface in a combi steamer worldwide and the the forerunner of an entire new generation of appliances.
The latest chapter in this success story is the Convotherm 4. It was distinguished with two design awards before it was even released, and having also won two subsequent awards it is now the combi steamer with the highest ever number of accolades. The Convotherm 4 impresses with its clear and intuitive design, the best cooking results, thanks to the further refined ACS+ closed system, the most flexible fully automatic cleaning system on the market and its exemplary level of energy efficiency.
As Convotherm has grown and expanded into international markets, there have also been some changes in ownership of the Convotherm name. A milestone was reached in 1998, when Convotherm became a subsidiary of Enodis plc, London. And since 2008, Convotherm has been a subsidiary of Manitowoc Foodservice, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional kitchen equipment, with over 24 brands.
The Convotherm brand symbolizes the company’s distinctive identity and stands for pioneering solutions with the claim: Convotherm – Your meal. Our mission.
It is based on the essence of the brand: passion … and includes three main customer benefits: true excellence real creativity and partnership in practice. The promise is: making customer satisfaction our core objective. This is the Convotherm mission.
The quality of our combi steamers is intended to inspire not only the head chef but also the chef’s team, the guests and the budget-setters, no matter where our appliances are used – in Michelin-starred restaurants or chain outlets, in the famous Munich Hofbräuhaus or any other business around the globe. Firmly rooted in this tradition, the company story is set to continue along the path of developing energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly appliances combined with optimum service and social commitment.