GREENVILLE, Ohio, Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its introduction in 1919, the KitchenAid® stand mixer has been praised by generations of noted chefs, showcased as a design icon in museum exhibits, and touted in countless other ways as an essential culinary workhorse. But in 2012, KitchenAid is celebrating a milestone that few would have imagined back in the early 20th century: an annual production of two million stand mixers.
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"This is by far the largest number we have ever produced in our Greenville, Ohio plant where every stand mixer sold around the world is built," notes David Elliott, general manager of KitchenAid small appliances. "Given the craftsmanship that goes into assembling each stand mixer, we're very proud to have the skilled work force and manufacturing process needed to fulfill increasing demand while maintaining the premium quality consumers expect from KitchenAid."
Thousands of stand mixers are produced every day in the Greenville plant in a process that includes everything from motor and wire whisk assembly to color application, packaging and distribution. In addition to its stand mixers and blenders, which have always been manufactured in the U.S., the brand recently moved the production of its hand mixers back to Greenville from China, where they had been previously manufactured.
The KitchenAid brand name was born when an executive's wife testing a stand mixer prototype declared, "I don't care what you call it, I know it's the best kitchen aid I have ever had." The first model, the H-5, weighed in at 65 pounds and was sold largely door-to-door. In 1937, acclaimed industrial designer Egmont Arens created the more streamlined and rounded Model K design, which has changed little since then. In the decades since, its distinctive design has become so well recognized that its silhouette is a registered trademark.
Today, consumers have a range of stand mixers to choose from in either a tilt-head or bowl-lift design. Capacity ranges from 4-1/2 quart models that can handle up to 8 cups of flour; 5-quart models that handle 9 cups; 6-quart models that handle 14 cups; and 7-quart models that can handle enough batter to make 14 dozen cookies. Every model includes three basic accessories: a flat beater for mixing batters, making pie dough or mashing potatoes; a dough hook for kneading everything from soft dough to stiff pizza dough; and a wire whip for beating egg whites and whipping cream.
In addition to offering a range of stand mixer models to suit the specific needs of home bakers and cooks, the KitchenAid® stand mixer collection offers an unsurpassed range of colors and finishes. A color leader in the small appliance category since pioneering its first hues over five decades ago, KitchenAid now offers over 40 colors and finish options. Select colors are also found throughout the KitchenAid collection in both electric and nonelectric offerings, including hand mixers, blenders, food processors as well as utensils, cutlery, bakeware and cookware.
A key feature of every KitchenAid® stand mixer is a unique hub that taps into the powerful motor to accommodate over a dozen optional attachments for everything from grinding grain and meat to kneading dough, slicing vegetables, rolling and cutting pasta, and even making ice cream. Optional attachments for the stand mixer include a slicer and shredder, fruit and vegetable strainer, food grinder, grain mill, citrus juicer and sausage stuffer; a pasta roller and a ravioli maker; several pasta cutters (including fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair and wide noodle); and an ice cream maker.
Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. Cook for the Cure®, the brand's partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, is now in its eleventh year and has raised over $8 million to help find a cure for breast cancer. To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand*, visit www.KitchenAid.com or join us at http://facebook.com/KitchenAid and http://twitter.com/KitchenAidUSA.
* Based on a 2012 survey, KitchenAid was found to be the home kitchen appliance brand chosen most often by members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
SOURCE KitchenAid
