It\u2019s Electrolux. Like me, you probably didn\u2019t realize that Electrolux founder Axel Wenner-Gren was pretty much responsible for the modern-day vacuum cleaner, introducing the smaller, more efficient LUX 1 in the early 20th<\/SUP> century. His ingenuity and dedication started a long rich history of innovation and best-in-class consumer experiences that continues at Electrolux today.<\/P><\/p>\n Most of us probably don\u2019t spend serious time thinking about our dishwashers. Normally that would have been my case, but I have been lucky enough to meet some members of the Electrolux family while touring a dynamic, automated dishwasher plant in Solaro, Italy. Most recently, we spent a couple of days talking to top Electrolux execs and Siemens software users at the world headquarters in Stockholm. What I discovered is that there is something rather special about Electrolux as a company. You can see why Electrolux wrote a book to celebrate its 100th<\/SUP> anniversary this year. (Download a free copy here.<\/A>) <\/P> The \u201cShape living for the better\u201d narrative links two of the company\u2019s prime drivers: operational excellence and innovation experience. If you think about it, this is quite the exercise when you produce 60 million products a year for people in over 150 countries at 53 different production sites worldwide. <\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"electrolux-comfortlift-dishwasher-with-quickselect.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/electrolux-comfortlift-dishwasher-with-quickselect-1.jpg\" "\\"electrolux-comfortlift-dishwasher-with-quickselect.jpg\\"")
<\/span><\/P><\/p>\n
\n![\"IMG_6269.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/IMG_6269-1.jpg\" "\\"IMG_6269.jpg\\"")
The team on the line in Solaro, Italy ironically named this robot “The Voice” because she can’t sing and chat along with them while assembling dishwashers.<\/span><\/span>This type of \u201cShape living for the better\u201d enthusiasm is everywhere from the men and women chatting and — yes \u2013 singing on the Italian production line to the warm, \u201cmake-yourself-at-home\u201d welcome we received in Stockholm.<\/P><\/p>\n