• Joint networks established for production, R&D, quality and procurement

• Steelco has more than doubled turnover since 2017

• Service portfolio for medical products significantly expanded with takeover of SMP

At the world's leading show for medical technology, the Medica exhibition in Düsseldorf, Miele's Steelco subsidiary will focus on machines and technologies with which medical products can be reprocessed far more efficiently and sustainably. Steelco also profits from the production network of the Professional business unit as part of the Miele Group as well as from Miele's takeover of the SMP laboratory service provider. As a result of this, both companies will be able to significantly grow their range of services moving forward.

One highlight at the Steelco exhibition stand covering around 200 m² (Building 11, Stand J59) will be new steam sterilisers featuring a unique sensor which measures non-condensable gases and considerably reduces operating costs by dispensing with the need for alternative test methods. Sustainability is also an issue on the new SlimLine washer-disinfectors from Steelco. With their innovative process technology, these machines save up to 65 l of water compared with their predecessors. For the first time on this model series, PowerPulseCleaning, a system which reduces the need for the manual pre-cleaning of lumened instruments or, indeed, renders it entirely superfluous, has been deployed. PowerPulseCleaning technology was developed by Miele and is currently exclusively used on washer-disinfectors from the Steelco brand.

A further example for cross-plant cooperation is the M-ATS transfer system. The centrepiece of M-ATS is a transport robot which offers huge relief in the everyday reprocessing of medical products. M-ATS loads and unloads washer-disinfectors fully automatically and moves freely on the infeed or outfeed side of the machines. Alongside Steelco experts, robotics specialists from Miele's Bielefeld production plant and Yujin Robot, Miele's South Korean subsidiary, were involved in development work. And, not least, Miele's plant in Bürmoos has grown to become an indispensable supplier to Steelco. Close to the Austrian city of Salzburg, stainless-steel baskets, conveyors and load carriers are just some of the components produced.

'Since it was taken over by Miele in 2017, Steelco has more than doubled its turnover. Additionally, networks covering production and technology, quality, R&D and procurement have been established between production plants', says Dr. Christian Kluge, Senior Vice President Professional Miele Group. 'Steelco and Miele are already profiting from these synergies. And that is one of the reasons why we have achieved highly satisfactory growth rates over recent years, despite Covid-19, and we will continue to expand our portfolio of services', Kluge maintains.

One example of this is the takeover of SMP. Only a few days ago, Miele announced the purchase of the Tübingen-based company providing laboratory services to the medical technology sector. With SMP, the Professional business unit will significantly expand its service portfolio. Among others, these include validation, the provision of test challenges and laboratory testing. In future, SMP will provide these services to Miele and Steelco and, indeed, to any other user or manufacturer of medical devices (cf. Press release No. 106/2022 for further information).

The Miele Group's Professional business unit comprises five production sites. The plant in Bielefeld is responsible for washer-disinfectors for medical practices, dental surgeries and laboratories. Steelco products (manufactured in Riese Pio X and Cusano di Zoppola) are designed to meet the larger capacity requirements of hospitals and the pharmaceutical sector. The Miele plant in the Austrian town of Bürmoos supplies, among other components, stainless-steel baskets, conveyors and load carriers for both Steelco and Miele machines and also provides technical support for sterilisers. In Lehrte, Lower Saxony, Miele concentrates on commercial laundry technology. Further Professional products such as Little Giants (semi-commercial washing machines and dryers) are supplied by other production plants.

Company profile: Miele is the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products. Their product portfolio also includes dishwashers, air purifiers, washing machines and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications. Founded in 1899, the company has eight production plants in Germany, one each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China, Romania and Poland as well as two production plants belonging to its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. Sales in the 2021 business year amounted to around € 4.84 bn. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries/regions. Throughout the world, the family-run enterprise, now in its fourth generation, employs a workforce of around 22,300, of which approx. 11,200 employees work in Germany. The company has its headquarters in Gütersloh in Westphalia.