Founded in 1883 as a carpet factory in Wuppertal, Vorwerk has long since evolved into a global love brand for high-quality household appliances. The Vorwerk direct sales model puts people at the center. We are proud of our history and excited about the future.
In 1883, Carl and Adolf Vorwerk founded the Barmer carpet factory Vorwerk & Co. With the patent application for a so-called “gripper loom”, Carl achieved a coup. For the first time, it became possible to produce large-format carpets in one piece and with patterns—similar to the very expensive, hand-knotted Persian carpets. A decisive innovation!
August Mittelsten Scheid, son-in-law of Carl Vorwerk, joined the carpet factory and, in 1907, assumed sole management of Vorwerk. The machine factory, originally founded to produce loom spare parts, became a business unit for gears and transmissions and is the nucleus of today’s Vorwerk Elektrowerke in Laaken.
Vorwerk faced a turning point: radio was conquering living rooms and displacing the gramophone — the once‑booming market collapsed. With technical finesse, engineer Engelbert Gorissen transformed the gramophone’s motor into the drive for the first Kobold vacuum cleaner: Model 30 was born, a simple solution for carpet cleaning. Yet early on, selling the Kobold through retail did not work.
August’s son, Werner Mittelsten Scheid, returned from the United States with a revolutionary idea: direct sales. It was a stroke of luck at just the right time, as retailers were struggling to explain the advantages of the new Kobold handheld vacuum cleaner. Personal product demonstrations at customers' homes proved to be much more successful. By 1935, 100,000 devices had already been sold directly.
Vorwerk’s internationalisation begins. The Italian sales organisation launches in Milan.
August Mittelsten Scheid stepped down from company management. His sons Werner and Erich jointly led the company until 1953. After Werners death in 1953, Erich assumed sole responsibility until 1966.
The first model in green and white. With clever attachments, it became an (almost) all-rounder.
1,000,000 Kobold/Folletto vacuum cleaners have been delivered to date.
The first Vorwerk universal kitchen machine came to market. The VKM5 could already do quite a lot — mixing, puréeing, chopping, stirring, and whipping.
The French and Austrian entities launched.
Dr. Jörg Mittelsten Scheid, Werner's son and Erich's nephew, joined the company’s management in 1966. Erich and Jörg led Vorwerk together until 1968; in 1969, Erich handed over to Jörg. He transformed Vorwerk into a globally successful group. In 2005, he stepped down from operational management and remains Honorary Chairman of the Advisory Board to this day.
Founding of akf bank (Allgemeine Kauf Finanz) with a focus on financing household appliances. akf bank is also headquartered in Wuppertal.
In 1971, Vorwerk introduced the VM2000: mixing and heating in one—the first heat mixer of its kind. A game changer that made the ‘original Thermomix®’ a reality.
Vorwerk is expanding its international portfolio to include Spain.
The ‘original Thermomix®’ got an upgrade!
In our neighboring country Poland, the Polish entity launched as a sales organisation.
The Thermomix®/Bimby® TM21 features a built-in scale and the Varoma®.
A genuine generational shift.
We welcomed the Swiss into the Vorwerk family as the next sales organization.
In 2004, Thermomix®/Bimby® TM31 arrived — a model still regarded as a classic. It was the last analog Thermomix®/Bimby® before Thermomix®/Bimby® TM5 made the move toward a digital ecosystem a reality.
With Vorwerk Ventures, the Vorwerk Group invests through various investment vehicles in promising, future-oriented business models.
A revolution: for the first time, a white Kobold/Folletto model!
Thermomix®/Bimby® discovers the digital world!
The VK200 is considered the most energy-efficient model in the Kobold range to date.
The Cook‑Key® connected the recipes in a user’s profile on the recipe platform with the Thermomix®/Bimby® TM5 — marking the birth of Cookidoo® and, with it, the digital ecosystem. A milestone in Thermomix®/Bimby® history.
Turkey became the next member of the Vorwerk family.
The first cordless Kobold/Folletto with battery power that could also vacuum and mop.
Visually similar to the Thermomix®/Bimby® TM5, the Thermomix®/Bimby® TM6 introduced a larger display and many new features.
Grand opening of the Innovation Center and Motorenwerke in Wuppertal-Laaken.
The modular Kobold/Folletto VK7 premium home-cleaning system from Vorwerk offers up to 19 functions, cordless performance, and a wide range of accessories for hard floors, carpets, upholstery, and more. Allergy sufferers can be especially pleased: the filter bag meets HEPA standards and securely traps dust and dirt. In addition to the Kobold/Folletto VK7, the system is complemented by the VR7 robot vacuum and the docking/emptying station. The Kobold/Folletto VK7 stands for flexibility, efficiency, and top quality — and was named test winner by Stiftung Warentest.
More than 100,000 advisors are active for Vorwerk.
Vorwerk opened new country subsidiaries in Malaysia, Singapore, the Benelux region, and Australia.
More than 115,000 advisors are active for Vorwerk worldwide.
With the launch of the Thermomix®/Bimby® TM7, Vorwerk has set new standards and captured attention worldwide. A pre-order phase and delivery times of up to 18 weeks underscored the exceptional hype around the new model. The biggest surprise for the community was the color: for the first time in its history, a Thermomix®/Bimby® is appearing in black. Designed and developed in Wuppertal, the new Thermomix®/Bimby® TM7 unites form and function at the highest level.
Relocation of the German Sales Organization and Vorwerk SE & Co. KG to the new headquarters in Wuppertal-Rauental. We’re excited about a new, modern building that has already received multiple accolades: in addition to the DGNB Platinum certificate (German Sustainable Building Council), it has been honored with both the Iconic Award and the BIG SEE Award.
Start of the Strategy 2030 initiative with the goal of becoming the most attractive direct selling company worldwide.
The entrepreneurial family’s values are set out in a family code of conduct.
In Vietnam, the youngest member of Vorwerk to date has opened its doors.
