Generation 5000 - Miele

Miele invests ten million euros in Oelde works
Tailor-made for gourmets
Among its fellow plants the Oelde site is affectionately referred to as “the plant for
connoisseurs”. The products that emerge from this small town near Gütersloh are indisputably
the secret stars of the new Generation 5000, rich in innovations that will
redefine baking and roasting.
The unique products and features – such as Moisture Plus,
the new 90 cm ovens and the extra-large cavity for the
60 cm ovens, just to name a very few – required considerable
investment. In Oelde alone, a total of over ten million
euros went into a production line for cavities and an enamelling
facility. Development costs and investments in other Miele
works bring total investment for the Generation 5000 built-in
appliances up to 51 million euros.
The new production line for cavities – at seven million euros
the largest single investment in Oelde – is designed to produce
compact ovens (43 litre cavities) and the “60 cm oven” (66 litre
cavities). As so-called volume appliances, the models made on
this production line comprise a large part of all appliances produced
in Oelde. Cavities for the new 90 cm ovens and the MasterChef
models, tailored for the North American market with a
volume of about 100 litres, are some of the items produced on
three additional production lines. A total of seven different
cavities sizes form the basis of over 700 different models and
feature types – an unusually wide spectrum that offers customtailored
solutions for customer needs all over the world.
Enamelling is a complex process. Miele has developed a special
process (electrophoretic bath enamelling) in which cavities
that have already been welded are dipped into a bath under high
voltage current. The enamel in this bath binds particularly well
to the smooth metal sheets and creates an even surface that is
extremely robust after fi ring. Miele invested around 3.5 million
euros in this new enamelling process to increase capacity at the
plant. PerfectClean processing is a well-protected non-access
area where cavities, baking sheets and other accessories are
Preparing to “take a dip”: The cavities have
to be repeatedly degreased and washed to
ensure that the enamel adheres well. Actual
enamelling is the fi nal station in the new
enamelling facility.
Cavities with volumes
of 43 and 66 litres can
be produced on the
new production line
at Oelde.
given a unique surface treatment following enamelling – PerfectClean.
It is almost impossible for food to burn onto this
surface, making cleaning a great deal easier.
The complex production processes for cavities and oven
accessories contribute to their long life, but really only represent
the preliminary stage in the whole process of creating an oven.
Key components are added during assembly: heater elements,
insulation, an oven door and the so-called E-box with an at-
Miele The Magazine // 45
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