Grundig

In this article, we are going to delve into the fascinating world of Grundig. Whether it is a historical figure, a natural phenomenon, a relevant event or any other topic of interest, we will dive into its context, characteristics and relevance. Along these lines, we will seek to understand and thoroughly analyze all aspects related to Grundig, providing the reader with a more complete and detailed vision of it. From its origins to its impact today, we aim to explore all possible angles to offer a broad and enriching perspective on Grundig.

For other uses, see Grundig (disambiguation).

Grundig
Product typeHome appliances and consumer electronics
OwnerArçelik A.Ş.
CountryGermany
Introduced1945 by Max Grundig

Grundig (English: /ˈɡrʌndɪɡ, ˈɡrʊndɪɡ/ GRU(U)N-dig, German pronunciation: [ˈɡʁʊndɪç]) is a home appliances and consumer electronics brand.[1] It is owned by Arçelik A.Ş., the white goods (major appliance) manufacturer of Turkish conglomerate Koç Holding. Originally a German consumer electronics company, Grundig GmbH was founded in 1945 by Max Grundig and was headquartered for the most part in Nuremberg until its insolvency in 2003.

The Grundig company helped fuel the post-war economic miracle of West Germany and it grew to become one of the leading manufacturers in the world of radio, TV, recording and other electronic equipment in the following decades. In the 1970s, Philips began acquiring Grundig's shares, leading to complete control in 1993, but Philips divested Grundig by 1998. Grundig filed for bankruptcy in April 2003 after years of losses and strong competition from cheaper Asian competitors.[2][3]

Most of the former Grundig business was acquired by a Turkish-British joint venture of Beko and Alba in 2004,[4][5] who relaunched the Grundig brand for consumer electronics as Grundig Intermedia GmbH, whereas Grundig's car radio division was acquired by American company Delphi Corporation.[6] In 2007, Koç Holding (parent company of Beko) acquired full ownership of Grundig and put the brand under its home-appliances subsidiary Arcelik A.Ş.[7][8] The legacy society was eventually merged with Arçelik's other brand to form Beko Germany GmbH, currently based in Eschborn near Frankfurt, which functions as the German and North European headquarters of Arçelik.

History

Radio kit Heinzelmann (1945)
Grundig melody boy 400 radio
Grundig TK42 tape recorder

Grundig began in 1945 with the establishment of a store named Fürth, Grundig & Wurzer (Radio-Vertrieb Fürth), which sold radios and was headquartered in Fürth, northern Bavaria. After the Second World War, Max Grundig recognized the need for radios in Germany, and in 1947 produced a kit, while a factory and administration centre were built at Fürth. In 1951, the first television sets were manufactured at the new facility. At the time Grundig was the largest radio manufacturer in Europe. Divisions were established in Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Karlsruhe.[9][10]

In 2013, Grundig launched its home appliances (white goods) product range, becoming one of the mainstream manufacturers in Europe.[11][12] Parent Arcelik A.Ş., has more than 27,000 employees worldwide. Grundig has manufacturing plants in several European cities that deliver their products to more than 65 countries around the world.[13][14][12]

1940s

Grundig started as a typical German company in 1945. Its early notability was due to Grundig radio. Max Grundig, a radio dealer, built a machine called "Heinzelmann", which was a radio that came without thermionic valves and as a do it yourself kit to circumvent post war rules. The first of the same was named the Weltklang.[10][9]

1950s

Based on the success of the Heinzelmann, Grundig opened a factory. This allowed the company to start Grundig TV. This was created for the first German television channel which started in 1952. The company then developed a portable tape recorder and The Grundig Television Receiver 210.[9]

In 1955, the American firm of Wilcox-Gay began importing Grundig radios into the U.S., using its Majestic Radio dealer network to distribute the German company's products.[15] The marketing of "Majestic-Grundig" radios continued until Wilcox-Gay went out of business at the end of 1961.

In 1957, Grundig purchased a majority stake in Triumph-Adler as well as in Adlerwerke.[16] In 1958, Grundig acquired both companies outright and merged them and Grundig's dictation machine division to form Triumph-Adler-Büromaschinen-Vertriebs-GmbH.[17]

1960s

A plant was opened in 1960 to manufacture tape recorders in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the first production by Grundig outside Germany. The managing director of the plant, Thomas Niedermayer, was kidnapped and later killed by the Provisional IRA in December 1973.[18] The factory was closed with the loss of around 1000 jobs in 1980.[19][9]

1970s

In 1972, Grundig GmbH became Grundig AG. After this Philips began to gradually accumulate shares in the company over the years, and assumed complete economic control in 1993. Grundig pulled out of this partnership in 1998 owing to unsatisfactory performance and the decline in Philips consumer electronics presence around the world.[9]

Grundig Colour TV with remote 1981

1980s

Germany's first colour television projector was started by Grundig in 1981. The next year, the second generation electronic notepad was developed and marketed. Philips increased its stake in the company and Max Grundig no longer controlled business management in 1984.[9]

Grundig Fine Arts Digital Audio Tape-recorder DAT 9009 (1987–1990)[20]

1990s

In 1991, Grundig entered the telephony equipment market starting with its cordless telephone. In 1993, the Grundig TV was based on a 16:9 picture format for signal transmission. In 1995 and 1996, the company included 3-D sound systems, TVs, satellite receivers and other initiatives that included interactive user guidance. However, Philips divested of its investment in the company by 1997–8.[9]

2000s

Former Grundig plant in Nuremberg

At the end of June 2000 Grundig relocated its headquarters in Fürth to Nuremberg-Langwasser. The company had a turnover of €1.281 billion the following year. In autumn 2002, Grundig's banks did not extend the company's lines of credit, leaving the company with an April 2003 deadline to announce insolvency. Grundig AG declared bankruptcy in 2003. In 2004 the UK's Alba plc and the Turkish Koç's Beko jointly took over Grundig Home InterMedia System, Grundig's consumer electronics division. In 2007 Alba sold its half of the business to Koç for US$50.3 million,[21] although it retained the license to use the Grundig brand in the UK until 2010, and in Australasia until 2012.[22]

In 2007 Grundig Mobile announced the U900 Linux-based mobile phone.[23]

At the end of 2007 Turkey's Koç Holding took full ownership of Grundig Multimedia, the parent company of Grundig Intermedia GmbH in Nuremberg.

2010s

The company continued on to produce entertainment electronics, electrical, and home appliances. The company entered the white goods sector in 2013, thus becoming the EU's only consumer electronics company covering the full range.[9] Grundig closed its Nuremberg offices in 2016 in order to share working space with Beko, then headquartered at Neu-Isenburg.[24]

Present

Grundig Intermedia was merged with Beko into Beko Grundig Deutschland GmbH, moved again to Eschborn,[25] still in the Frankfurt metropolitan area, and renamed Beko Germany GmbH in late 2023. Worldwide, the Grundig brand employs 1,600 people in production, research and development and sales. The brand is organized into three product groups: consumer electronics, small domestic appliances and large household appliances.[9]

Sponsorship

Grundig became the first official technology partner of the Bundesliga (professional association football league) in 2011. In addition to that, the Nuremberg football stadium was called Grundig Stadium until the end of 2015.[26] Grundig continued its Bundesliga Official Technology Partnership in 2014. The Grundig logo was a permanent display item during all Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 broadcasts from 2012/13 until 2014/15.[27]

Grundig is also the name sponsor of the Norwegian Women's and Men's Handball Leagues.[28]

Furthermore, Grundig continued its sponsorship with Fenerbahçe's women's and men's volleyball teams, and sponsored many international golf tournaments in 2014.

Grundig launched the Respect Food initiative with the goal of underlining the seriousness of the food waste problem to reduce global food waste which is the second topic of the UN's 2030 sustainable development goals.[29][30][31][32][33]

Products

Grundig offers household appliances and electronic goods.

  • Television: Grundig offers a wide range of televisions based on LCD technology as well as models with an OLED screen.[34]
  • Radio: Grundig produced several ranges of transistor radios. These included the small portable "Yacht Boy" radios for mariners, with FM, LW, MW, and up to 12 SW bands for worldwide coverage. The Satellit range radios were the most robust and sophisticated of the Grundig radio range.
  • Audio: Grundig audiovisual product range offers HIFI Systems, soundbars and Bluetooth speakers.
  • Home appliances: manufactured by Grundig include fridges, freezers, ovens, stoves, hobs, hoods, microwaves, warming drawers, washing machines and dryers. Grundig's small domestic appliances include coffee machines, toasters, tea makers, kettles, mixers, blenders, other kitchen helpers, dishwashers, steam irons and vacuum cleaners.
  • Personal care products: Grundig extended its product range and offers hair dryers, hair stylers, shavers, body scales, foot massagers, manicure and pedicure sets, toothbrushes, facial saunas and ultrasonic cleaners.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ Gow, David (15 April 2003). "Grundig collapses into bankruptcy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Bankruptcy Throws Shadow on Grundig's History of Innovation – DW – 04/15/2003". dw.com. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  4. ^ "Turkish-British venture buys Grundig's home Intermedia division". www.spacedaily.com. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Commission clears joint acquisition of Grundig by Turkey's Beko and Britain's Alba". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  6. ^ https://www.eetimes.com/u-k-turkish-consortium-to-buy-germanys-grundig/
  7. ^ "Years 2005 – today". Grundig.de. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012.
  8. ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/alba-sale/alba-agrees-to-sell-grundig-stake-for-25-mln-stg-idUSWLB490020071218/
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Grundig History - From The Foundations To Present". Grundig.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Arçelik A.Ş. marks IFA Fair with two giant brands". Arcelikas.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Make your home the best place to be with appliances from Grundig". The Times. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  12. ^ a b "UPDATE 2-Turkey's Arcelik, Grundig announce merger". Reuters.com. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  13. ^ ""Grundig Home" – The Best Place to Be - K!TCHN® Mag". ktchnmag.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  14. ^ "ARÇELİK A.Ş., LEAVES ITS MARK AT THE IFA FAIR WITH ITS BEKO AND GRUNDIG BRANDS". Arcelikas.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Majestic Expands To German Radios". New York Times. 25 August 1954. Retrieved 16 March 2021 – via ProQuest.
  16. ^ Dingwerth, Leonhard (2008). Grosse und mittlere Hersteller [Large and Medium-sized Manufacturers] (in German). Historisches Schreibmaschinen-Archiv. p. 26. ISBN 9783921913383 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Grant, Tina, ed. (2003). International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 48. St. James Press. p. 383. ISBN 9781558626898 – via the Internet Archive.
  18. ^ "RUC files outline events after abduction of Niedermayer - the Irish Times - Wed, Dec 30, 2009". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  19. ^ Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1980". cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  20. ^ hifiengine.com, 2006-2020, Grundig FineArts, retrieved 19 May 2020.
  21. ^ "Design News". Design News. 19 December 2007. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  22. ^ uk.biz.yahoo.com[permanent dead link]
  23. ^ Deleon, Nicholas. "Grundig U900 Single Core Linux-Based Cellphone Looks Like It Belongs in 2002". Gizmodo.com. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Grundig zieht zu Beko". www.cetoday.ch (in German). 11 April 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  25. ^ "Marken Beko und Grundig eröffnen Showroom in Eschborn". www.eschborn.de (in German). 12 July 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Sponsoring: Grundig zeigt Flagge in der Fußball-Bundesliga". Horizont.net. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  27. ^ "Grundig expands FC Nurnberg sponsorship". Sportbusiness.com. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  28. ^ "From Postenligaen to Grundigligaen - The Norwegian American". Na-weekly.com. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  29. ^ "Global Food Losses and Food Waste" (PDF). Fao.org. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  30. ^ "Key facts on food loss and waste you should know!". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  31. ^ "Respect Food grundig.com". Grundig.com. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  32. ^ "Our story | FOODFORSOUL". Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  33. ^ "Grundig partners with Massimo Bottura's first international 'Food for Soul' project – Innovative Electrical Retailing". Innovativeelectricalretailing.co.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  34. ^ "GRUNDIG – Unterhaltungselektronik & Haushaltsgeräte". Grundig.de. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  35. ^ "GRUNDIG – Unterhaltungselektronik & Haushaltsgeräte". Grundig.de. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
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